Mirrorverse
by Piri Lupin-Snape
Summary: Four people find out exactly why you should be very careful what you read or what you touch, because you never know where some things will take you! AU SSRL, HPDM
1. Why You Should Always Beware Of Restrict...

  
  
**Mirrorverse  
  
  
**

Disclaimer: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
**Summary**: Four people find out the hard way why you should be very careful what you read or what books you touch, because you never know where they will take you. Harry and Draco are thrown into a world completely unlike their own, and they not only have to deal with who and what they encounter, but with two of their professors who have also landed in this odd world...as teenagers! As a team they try to find their way home, without getting cursed or killed in the process, but can they find the way home before this strange world changes and corrupts them completely? (AU; SS/RL, HP/DM)  
  
  


**Chapter One: Why You Should Always Beware Of Restricted Books_  
  
_**  


Severus Snape, Potion Master elite as well as a potion Professor of Hogwarts, was not having a very good day, and that was saying quite a lot. In fact on a scale from one to ten, ten being the best, of how bad days could go this one rated somewhere in the negative fifties. No, scratch that, it had to rate closer to the negative hundreds. He'd had a lot of bad days in his life to date, in fact most of Severus's life could be considered 'bad days', but by and large this one was, at the moment, at the very top of the list and it seemed like the day was only getting worse.  
  
It was certainly a very annoyed Potion Master that flopped down into a soft blue velvet overstuff high-backed chair in the staff room, a deep dark scowl alerting the few others in the room to steer clear. By now all the staff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry knew what Severus Snape could be like when he was in one of his more 'dour' moods, and had learned long ago that it was easier to ignore him than try to converse and find out what was wrong. All the teachers that is save one, one who didn't really care what mood Severus was in and seemed to almost enjoy taking the risk of annoying the Potion Master even more, which those that knew the second professor knew that was more than likely a probability.  
  
'Problems, Severus?' Professor Remus J. Lupin asked whilst sitting down in a chair next to the one Severus occupied, ignoring the looks and the shakes of heads from his other co-workers at such a daunting thing.  
  
Severus didn't respond, instead he just sat there staring at the flames of the fireplace, the scowl never waivering. He was in no mood to talk to Lupin at the moment, and he couldn't even begin to wonder why in the name of Slytherin this man even bothered to attempt being civil with him. Severus was quite sure he had made his feelings clear towards the werewolf when he'd sent Lupin away three years ago, obviously the man did not get the message. The fact that the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had no choice but to re-hire Lupin, since not even the most stalwart professor would take the particular job in question any longer, only made things worse.   
  
It seemed that the Defence Against the Dark Arts position truly had become jinxed, or at least had earned that reputation now. In the past six years Severus had to admit that every single person who had taken the job ended up being one hundred percent downright incapable of doing the job. No, that wasn't quite true and Severus knew it, perhaps more than anyone.   
  
Remus Joseph Lupin was actually the only person he could think of that _was _capable, more than so truthfully. Lupin knew his stuff, no question there, being that he was a werewolf was more a bonus for that field of work more than a downfall. However situations from the past still lay thick between him and the wolf, having him back at the school again was not making things easier on him, for many reasons. Severus knew he was really being hypocritical on his one main reason for not liking the werewolf, but that reason was something he was never going to admit to Lupin, and he could count on one hand the few people that knew his own little dark secret.  
  
'Severus?' Lupin's voice quietly floated over again to him, pulling him from his thoughts, causing his scowl to only deepen.  
  
'Lupin, do I look like I wish to converse at the moment? Is there not something else you can be doing besides attempting to 'chat me up' as it were?' Severus grumbled, almost wishing he had retreated to his private rooms rather then the staff lounge, or anywheres else but here at the moment.  
  
'Considering I haven't anyone to 'chat up' at the moment, I'll suppose I'll just have to settle for conversing with _you_. So, what's got you in such a tiff?' Remus said lazily.   
  
Severus sighed knowing that once Lupin latched onto something he rarely let go. For some reason he couldn't understand, Lupin had made it his personal task to try and make 'amends' with him some how, and in the course of the past month since school started Severus found himself unable to just flat out ignore the man like he had planned. Perhaps the fact that Severus hadn't actually 'discouraged' this hadn't helped, but though he still wasn't ready to make his 'amends' with the werewolf, he was at least a bit more tolerable with him these days oddly enough.  
  
'Longbottom,' Severus growled now, sinking himself deep into the chair with a sigh.  
  
'Ah yes, Neville Longbottom. One of the true banes of your existence in this world,' Remus said softly amused. 'What has the lad done now to warrant this 'cheerful' mood of yours, Severus?'  
  
'Three cauldrons, or rather the melting of them I should say. Not one, or even two today, no...it had to be three brand new cauldrons mind you. All in the space of two hours, Lupin. Two bleeding hours!' he said with a heavy groan.  
  
Remus chuckled and shook his head. 'If it wasn't that I've seen him do that myself at times, I would have to say I wouldn't believe a word of that. Sadly though I know what he can be capable of in your class. He's certainly not someone made for potion work, anymore than I am,' he said almost sadly.  
  
_'You _never melted cauldrons, Lupin, there's a difference. Horrid as you were during our school tenure, at least _you _managed to keep them in tact,' Severus said huffily and pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes a moment, knowing a migraine was probably due very soon. 'If it wasn't for the fact I know that the boy does well in nearly every _other _subject at this school, I'd have to say he was a pure squib. However Sprout swears by his work in Herbology, you would think then that at least he would know his ingredients!'  
  
'Ixora is quite impressed with Neville's aptitude for plants, I agree. In fact, from what I understand, she very well might ask him to apprentice her next year after he graduates to help him in his studies,' Remus said thoughtfully.  
  
Severus groaned again and shook his head. 'The day that menace becomes staff at this school I _will _resign. _You _can have the damn potions job, Lupin,' he muttered.  
  
Remus laughed and shook his head. 'You know very well I could _never _do that, Severus. Didn't you ever wonder why I was so awful at potions?'  
  
Severus actually turned to look at Lupin, for truth be told he had wondered on that back during their school days. Remus had been highly apt at knowing the principles of how to brew a perfect potion, as well as his ingredients without fail, however he had always done so poorly in class. 'Why was that?' he asked curiously.  
  
Remus tapped his nose and sighed. 'Scent, Severus, pure scent. We wolves have our sense of smell _all _month long, not just at the full moons. Although some of the ingredients don't bother me as much, you'd be surprised how strong things like mint, cinnamon and especially something like silver powder or wolfsbane can smell to me. In theory I know 'how' to do the work, but the scents have always driven me from the task I'm afraid,' he said regretfully.  
  
'Oh,' Severus said thoughtfully, realising now just how strong some ingredients could actually smell. If they were that strong to 'normal' people, he didn't even want to think how strong they would be for a werewolf. 'I actually had wondered on that point. It's no wonder you never did well in the class and always bolted soon as it ended.'  
  
Remus nodded and sat back in his chair wearily. 'After an hour it was difficult but manageable, but the days of double potion class I would end up in the loo sick as anything trying to rid my system of the not just the smells, but from what I occasionally inhaled. I can only be round things like silver or wolfsbane for a very short period of time before it starts to poison me.'  
  
Severus looked at Remus oddly at that comment. 'Even just on scent?'  
  
Remus nodded sadly. 'In it's powdered or undiluted forms yes, it can seep into my lungs, and though it won't kill me in small quantities, prolonged exposure to it can have dire effects.'  
  
'Then why on earth do you agree to take that blasted potion I make you if you know it could kill you? Don't you realize it has not just the wolfsbane but undiluted wolfsbane at that?' Severus asked angrily.  
  
Remus sighed and shook his head sadly, giving him a haunted look. 'Because it's far better for what it does for me now, then what I had before, Severus. You have no idea what it's like for me without it, no one who is not a werewolf could. It's not just the fact that it lessens the pain during the transformations, but it quells the feelings and desires of hunger...of bloodlust...within the beast...within _me_. It's a choice between heaven and hell, Severus, and though it may not appear that way, trust me when I say it is truly closer to heaven to have the potion in me than to not have it at all,' he said quietly.  
  
'Is it really _that _bad without it?' Severus mused.  
  
Remus nodded and gave Severus a watery smile. 'You may not believe me, Severus, but what I am I wouldn't wish on my _worst _enemy...not even on you,' he said quietly.  
  
'Am _I _your worst enemy then, Lupin?' Severus shot back, though it was in an oddly quiet voice, without even thinking why he would even care what the werewolf thought of him.  
  
Remus stood up and faced the fire a moment before turning back to look at Severus, a strange look in his eyes. They were not the normal rich brown they usually were, but more amber yellow, wolves eyes, though not dangerous as the full moon had just past only a a few days prior. If anything they were seductive eyes, old with wisdom and knowledge for a man only in his early forties, and for a moment they gazed intensely and searchingly at the Potion Master. Leaning in he said in a low, wolf-like voice, 'You never were...Severus...'   
  
Severus now looked deep into those eyes surprised by Lupin's tone of voice and his words, and a bit startled by how all of those things combined made him feel. Those eyes held his own coal black ones for a moment as if they were mesmerising him, however before he could reply Lupin was gone, and he realised he was now alone in the staff lounge. For a little while longer he just sat there staring into the fire, thinking over the conversation he'd just had and what he had felt, formulas flowing round in his mind like tiny tendrils of mist. Though most people would say in a heartbeat that Severus Snape wanted the DADA position more than anything in life, that fact simply wasn't even close to the truth.   
  
Severus could nor would ever give up his potions for any reason, it was his first and only love in a way, and it gave him more power than anything the dark arts ever had. In potions _he _was the master that ruled, _he _was the one who could give or take life with a single phial of liquid or powder, without ever lifting a wand or muttering a word. Though the dark arts were good to know and use, potions flowed through his blood, and just like he would tell his first-year classes, it had long ago bewitched his own mind and ensnared his own senses. To Severus potions were the _true _powers, and anything else paled in comparison.  
  
It was a specific potion that weaved through his mind now, the very same potion that he and Lupin had been discussing moments before, the Wolfsbane Potion. Relatively a new potion by standards, though the initial research had started ten years ago, it was only five years ago that the potion became available to use. Due to the nature of the ingredients they could not test it more than the five years they had, and even back then Severus thought it was a half done job what they released. However until three years ago, and again now, he had little reason to look into the potion further, other than knowing he was more than capable of making it.  
  
Now however, in view of this new knowledge of what it really did for and to Lupin he gave the potion quite a bit more thought. He didn't know why but he suddenly had a strange desire to investigate this potion further, and getting up he decided to pay a little visit to the library, into an area that as a professor he had no trouble being allowed access to these days. If anyone had seen him leave the lounge at that moment they would have been very surprised at the normally sneering, dour Potion Master, because at the moment he had a spring in his step and he was looking more alive then he'd had in a very long time.   
  


****  
  


'Harry? Oi, Harry are you paying 'tention or what?' Ron Weasley said in an exasperated voice to his best friend in the world.  
  
'Huh? Oh...sorry, Ron, what was that?' Harry Potter, the 'Boy-Who-Lived', Saviour of the Wizarding World, said distractedly whilst pushing round the food on his supper plate.  
  
'I asked when the roster's going up for the Quidditch house team this year. I just know you're going to make captain, I can feel it!' he said with a grin, and added another round of food to his plate.  
  
'How can you _possibly _eat all that, Ron?' Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry and Ron, and Ron's girlfriend of the past year and half, said cutting in with a tsking sound.  
  
'Aw lay off, Hermione, I'm a growing boy, need my strength!' Ron said shoving in some runner beans and mashed potatoes into his mouth. 'S'des I 'issed break'ast, n'ed en'gy.'  
  
Harry rolled his eyes as he heard that, used to Ron's speech when his mouth was full. 'The roster won't be up till next week, at least that's what Madam Hooch said so don't hold your breath. And the only reason you missed breakfast this morning was because you and Hermione were up snogging half the night, if not doing much more,' he said with a snort.   
  
Hermione blushed profusely whilst Ron ended up practically spitting out half his food. 'Harry!', he hissed whilst peering round to see if anyone else heard that, and grateful that no one apparently had.  
  
'We _were _studying, Harry, honestly we were,' Hermione said quickly, her face still red as a beetroot.  
  
Harry shook his head and snorted again, giving them both a knowing gaze. 'Riiight..._studying_...if you expect me to believe _that, _Hermione, then I've got a bridge to sell you for cheap,' he said in amusement.  
  
'A what to what?' Ron said puzzled.  
  
Harry just shook his head and sighed. 'Never mind, Ron, it was lost on you. Listen I've got to ah...go. Have to finish up the Divinations essay that's due Monday. See you later all right?' he said gathering up his stuff and heading out before the others could say a single word.  
  
Ron watched his friend leave and shook his head. 'Now that's strange,' he muttered, his food totally forgotten.  
  
Hermione watched him go with a thoughtful expression on her face. 'Yeah, you're right. He _never _leaves supper early,' she said.  
  
'No, Hermione, I didn't mean _that_,' he said.  
  
'Then what did you mean?' she asked curiously.  
  
'I meant he already did his Divinations essay. I saw him finish it _yesterday_, so why would he need to do it again today?' he replied puzzled.  
  
Hermione shrugged. 'Maybe he just wants to add on some more 'deaths' or something. You know how that old fraud eats that up.'  
  
'Maybe,' he said a bit skeptically. 'D'you notice he's been acting a little...oh...weird lately? Ever since term started he's been quiet, a bit too quiet if you ask me.'  
  
Hermione thought that over for a moment then nodded. 'Yeah, a bit, but then he does have a lot on his mind I'd wager with all that happened this Summer. Poor Harry, I guess it was pretty hard on him when he found out about Sirius getting married,' she said with a sigh.  
  
'Yeah, that was surprising to me too. Can't believe Sirius didn't tell Harry that he was going to do that until after he did it! Usually they're pretty close and all,' Ron said.  
  
'They are, that's what's so odd, it's not like Sirius to just do stuff and not tell Harry about it first. Oh well, maybe Harry's just still taking it hard, he hasn't said anything to you though since term started?' she asked curiously.  
  
Ron shook his head. 'Not a word, other then telling me Sirius did get married, and that he had a miserable Summer as usual. Though somehow I'm not so sure 'bout that either.'  
  
'How so? And why didn't he come to stay with you this Summer anyway? Did he ever say why?' she asked curiously.  
  
'He just said he had 'things to do' and couldn't make it but...well...between you and me...he just seemed too 'happy' that first day back to really have been so 'miserable'. You know how he usually can't wait to find us on the train - ' he began but Hermione cut him off.  
  
'Except _this _year we didn't see him until we were halfway to school! Yeah, something definitely _is _going on, Ron. Wonder what though? You don't think he's doing anything 'bad' do you?' she said worriedly.  
  
Ron chuckled and shook his head. 'Nah, not _him_. I'll bet you odds he's probably got a girlfriend or something and just doesn't want us to know yet. Probably waiting for the right moment to spring it on us,' he grinned.  
  
'It's not Ginny is it?' she asked lowering her voice.  
  
Ron shook his head vigorously. 'Hell no, Hermione, that I know that much for fact. Ginny's been secretly dating Neville, thought I told you that?'  
  
'Oh yeah, I forgot you did owl me that. They started dating this Summer right?' she asked.  
  
'Yeah, well, really end of last term but he came over and spent a week at the Burrow this Summer and made it official. Mum's thrilled though, she said the Longbottom's were really a great family and all, and Ginny really likes Neville,' he said with a sigh and peeked over at his sister and Neville who were talking quietly to themselves.  
  
'He's really improved a lot the last few years hasn't he. He looks a lot better now that he lost all that weight and let his hair grow in. He's really doing well in his studies too, minus potions but then with Snape round like an overgrown bat all the time how could he do good,' Hermione said, and looked at where Ginny and Neville were talking as well.  
  
'Hermione! Now don't you go falling for Neville on me or something...' he said petulantly.  
  
Hermione laughed and shook her head, then grabbed Ron's hand under the table and squeezed it gently. 'Don't you dare worry, Ronald Weasley, you're the only one for _me_. Now we just have to figure out who the only one for Harry is!' she said with a grin.  
  
'Oi, and give up good snogging time? Thanks but no thanks, Hermione,' he chuckled. ''Sides, when he's ready I know he'll tell us. Last time we tried to pry on him he didn't talk to us for a week, I am _not _going through _that _again,' he said firmly.  
  
Hermione nodded in agreement. 'You're right, of course he'll tell us, I'm sure of it. Now, let's finish supper and maybe do some studying of our own...hmm?' she said coyly making Ron grin and blush at the same time.  
  
'Sounds good to me, Hermione,' was all he said, then shovelled more food in his mouth before it would disappear into thin air and he'd be left hungry for the rest of the night.  
  
  


****  


  
'Draccie, are you paying attention to me?' Pansy Parkinson, seventh-year Slytherin, whinged.  
  
Draco internally groaned. 'Pansy, how many times do I have to tell you _not _to call me that? My name is Draco, not Draccie, not Drac, just Dra-co. It's not that damned hard to say it correctly so I truly hope you will do so in the future,' he said in a steely voice.  
  
Pansy pouted. 'Oh don't be that way sweetheart, honestly, you've been _so _out of sorts lately. What is _wrong _with you? I know, why don't we make plans to slip up Weasel and the Mudblood after supper? It'll be _fun_!' she said giggling.  
  
'Pansy, I have no desire at the moment to 'slip up' Gr-that girl and her inconsequential brat of a boyfriend. Now if you don't mind I have a potion's essay I need to finish up,' he said in a cold voice, and before Pansy or anyone else could say anything he got up from the supper table and left the Great Hall.   
  
Thankfully Vincent Crabbe and Greg Goyle, his oafish and very annoying 'bodyguards' didn't follow him out, but then he doubted they would ever leave such a precious thing as their food even to follow Draco, and for that he was grateful. As he left the Great Hall he gave a sigh of relief, glad to be out of that place, at the moment he felt stifled in there. He knew he had been 'out of sorts' as Pansy had put it lately, but for very good reasons, not that he was going to ever tell them to anyone. In fact one of those reasons is what now sent him practically dashing off to the place he knew he would find relief from his torments, and to the one person he knew would help ease the tensions of his day.  
  
  


****  
  


'Has anyone noticed we're one person short for supper tonight at our table?' Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, Professor of Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor House, said glancing round the staff table now.  
  
'Hmm?' Filius Flitwick, Charms Professor, said glancing down the table now himself. 'You're right, Minerva, we certainly are.'  
  
'Personally I think it's a nice change not to be scowled at over a meal. I can't say I miss that. Though I wonder where he's gone off to?' Altaira Sinistra, Astronomy Professor, said with a sniff.  
  
'Now, now Altaira, Severus doesn't _always _scowl during meals,' Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.  
  
Poppy Pomfrey, the Mediwitch of Hogwarts, snorted however. 'You're right, Albus, he doesn't. When he's not scowling at us he just sends those black eyed stares that say 'don't-even-bother-speaking-to-me-or-else'. Honestly, why he even bothers coming to meals is beyond me, he doesn't need to e- '  
  
'That will do, Poppy,' Albus said sharply, and Poppy scowled herself at the reprimand. 'As it happens he's doing some research I believe and probably has just lost track of time. In fact, perhaps you would be so good as to go fetch him, Remus?'  
  
'Me, Albus?' Remus said looking up startled.   
  
'I think he would react better if it were you instead of anyone else, since I am obviously unable to leave the hall at the moment,' Albus said smiling at Remus now.  
  
'Albus, I'm the _last _person he would want to annoy him if he's in middle of researching something,' Remus said in a quiet voice.  
  
'Now here I thought the two of you have been quite amiable to each other lately, or so I'm led to believe,' Albus said with another twinkle in his eyes.  
  
'Civil perhaps, I would hardly call our few conversations 'amiable' though, Albus,' Remus muttered then saw an odd glint in Albus's eyes. 'Oh very well, I'll fetch him. Where is he?' he asked rising from his chair.  
  
'You might try the library, that's where I saw him headed off to last,' Albus said with a nod.  
  
'Right then, the library,' Remus said thoughtfully, then headed out the side door to seek out the man in question.  
  
'Are you sure that was wise, Albus? You know those two still do not get along at all,' Minerva asked quietly as the others returned to their dinners.  
  
'Sometimes, Minerva, two people who are so much alike need a little nudge in the right direction. Don't you worry my dear Professor, I know what I'm doing,' he said with a small smile.  
  
Minerva looked at Albus oddly a moment then shook her head. 'You're a fool if you think those two will ever - ' she began then changed her words as she caught on to the meaning of what he'd said. 'Perhaps you're right, Albus, perhaps you're right. Yes, they are a lot alike in respects aren't they,' she said now with a little knowing smile herself and a nod of her head.  
  
'More than they realize, Minerva. Now, did I happen to see a few slices of Strawberry pie left on your side? I always do enjoy pudding don't you?' he said with a chuckle, and like a child in a sweets shop was elated when she did indeed pass him the two slices that were left of his favourite pudding.  
  
  


****  
  


Harry arrived at the library in a hurry, glad to be away from the hustle and bustle of the Great Hall. Lately his nerves were on end, and even meals times seemed to grate on him like fingernails on a chalkboard. With a sigh he dropped his bag down on a table, glad that Madam Pince the Librarian wasn't there, he knew for fact she was still down at supper. After he dropped his bag down he made sure that he really was alone, then he headed off towards the back of the bookshelves, checking the pocket of his robe to make sure he had on him two very important items that these days he almost never travelled without.  
  
One of them was a cloak, a very special and rare cloak that had been passed along to him by someone he considered a father figure and mentor. Headmaster Dumbledore had always been there for Harry when he really needed him, and though at times Harry had felt compelled to lie, or rather skirt the truth from him, over all he had complete faith in the Headmaster. Dumbledore had not only saved his life multiple times, starting back in first-year when he arrived just in time to pull the traitorous Professor Quirrell, or rather Voldemort, off him, but he'd also saved his godfather's life many times, for which Harry was extremely grateful.  
  
Harry had been grateful that was up until this Summer, because that's when Sirius went off and got married without telling him first. Harry didn't even know Sirius had been seeing anyone until he got the owl saying they had gotten married in Italy and would return a few days before school started, and then he would come to see him at the Burrow and explain things further to Harry. The only problem with that was Harry wasn't at the Burrow at that point in the Summer, and not that he would tell this to Sirius, but he hadn't been at the Dursley's either. In fact, if anyone beyond the very very few people who did know where he had spent the last three weeks of his Summer vacation found out the truth, Harry knew he was in for a very rough time.  
  
'Potter,' a voice said now cutting into his thoughts and making him turn round quickly.  
  
Harry looked at the person who'd spoken, a slight frown on his face. 'Malfoy,' he said in a cool voice.  
  
'Homework?' Draco said raising an eyebrow at Harry, a slight smirk on his face.  
  
'Nope, not really. You?' Harry calmly replied.  
  
'Potions, but not due till Monday,' Draco said back with a shrug.  
  
'Well, since today's Friday that leaves - '   
  
'All weekend,' Draco replied cutting him off, his normal smirk back on his lips. 'Leaves a lot of time for _other _things right now though...doesn't it...Potter...'  
  
Harry didn't reply to that, instead he did something else, something that had anyone watching these two boys would think rather odd at best. Walking up to Draco he glanced round a moment then reached over and grabbed Draco by the wrist, a smirk on his face. 'I reckon it does...doesn't it...Malfoy...' he said in a low voice, then he did something that would have sent his friends, if not the entire school, into a dead faint. He pulled Draco to him roughly, like he had been deprived something very precious for a long while, and leaned down to place a very passionate kiss upon the waiting lips of his archenemy.  
  
As they broke apart a few minutes later, faces flushed and their breaths heavy, Draco looked up into the emerald green eyes that were gazing back at him with such readable emotions. 'I missed you, Harry,' he said still half dazed by the long needed kiss, and snuggled back into Harry's chest with a sigh.  
  
'Missed you too, Dray. It's been hell having to stay away from you since term started. Tell me again _why _we agreed to wait a month before meeting? Did we lose our marbles somewhere along the queue when we decided that tactic?' Harry muttered.  
  
Draco chuckled and nodded his head. 'I think so, but it was your idea to do this too remember, to give us both time to get readjusted to school. Though Merlin I swear I almost jumped you a thousand times this week alone,' he said groaning and wrapping his arms tighter round his lover's body.  
  
Harry nodded in agreement. 'I know, I had to practically spellotape my hands to my desk in order not to reach over and touch you somehow,' he sighed. 'I know we agreed to give ourselves time to get our 'game faces' on, but a month was way, way, _way _too long, Draco. I wish we were back on the ship instead of here.'  
  
'I do too, that was the best Summer holiday I've ever had! 'Course having you along helped a bit,' Draco grinned coyly.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes at that. 'Cute, Draco, really cute. Seriously though, I can't believe Dumbledore let us go on a cruise...and together none the less! All right so Mrs. Figg had to go with us, but it she did make herself practically invisible thank Merlin, and we at least had our own cabin. Still seems like a dream though, I wish we never had to wake up,' Harry said with another sigh.  
  
'I know, but sadly we had too. I'm just grateful mother convinced father to take their own holiday to Russia, the one place we wouldn't be going on the cruise ship. I think I liked Egypt best, though Greece wasn't bad. I thought Mt. Vesuvius was cool anyway, though admittedly there's nothing like Venice for lovers,' he said giving Harry a very seductive and feral grin.  
  
Harry leaned in and kissed Draco for that comment, though this time for not as long. 'Mmm...that's it, after we leave school we're taking another cruise, and this time we _won't _have to come back till we're well ready to,' he said dreamily.  
  
Draco laughed and nodded, then as he was about to say something he felt Harry tense up and saw him put his fingers to his lips. 'What is it?' he whispered hesitantly.  
  
Harry let Draco go and took out the invisibility cloak, draping it over them both. 'Someone's coming,' he whispered now into Draco's ear. The cloak could shield them from sight, but not sounds, so they had to be very quiet now. Last thing they wanted was to get caught together after all the careful 'planning' they'd done to make people think they were still enemies.  
  
Moments later sure enough someone did come their way and stopped in their view, and both boys had to hold back a gasp of surprise at seeing who it was. They saw the person look round a moment, then head towards the gate to the restricted section, which both boys realised now was slightly open, something they hadn't noticed before. Harry motioned Draco to stay still, and they listened whilst the person walked into the section.  
  
'Severus? Severus are you here?' the person called out only to receive no answer. 'Albus sent me to fetch you for supper, Severus, it's well past time.'  
  
Harry motioned to Draco that he was going to follow the person into the restricted section, and Draco nodded in agreement, curious himself now. Peering round they slipped in the gate and stopped just inside, still listening and watching just incase the person would come back quickly and they would have to make a hasty retreat.  
  
'Severus? Hmm...what's this?' the voice said, and the boys could hear a book being picked up from off the floor somewheres. 'Odd, what would he be doing with a book like this?' the person mused, then the boys heard a few words being muttered by the other person and suddenly they heard a muffled scream. They saw a bright white light flash from one of the second, and then just silence.  
  
Harry looked at Draco worriedly, then throwing off the cloak dashed over to the section they'd heard the muffled scream come from. 'Professor? Professor Lupin? Where are you?' Harry called out softly now, not wanting to attract any further attention. It was bad enough they were in the library during supper, but in the restricted section to boot.  
  
'Harry, come here, look at this,' Draco said quietly.  
  
Harry walked over and saw what Draco was looking at, it was a book lying on the floor, it's pages opened to a specific section. Reaching down he picked it up and began to look at it, wondering what it was. Flipping the cover over he now saw in scripted faded gold letter the words _Y Llyfrau Y Gan Melltigedig_. 'What's this say? I've never seen anything like that before,' he said curiously.  
  
Draco looked at the cover of the book and gasped slightly, recognising it. 'Harry, that language is Welsh, it means 'The Book Of The Cursed',' he said in half whispered voice.  
  
Harry shook his head puzzled. 'I don't get it, what is it though?'  
  
Draco fidgeted and looked down at his hands a moment not realised they were clasping and unclasping in nervousness. 'Err...well...that is...' he stammered, unsure what to say.  
  
'Draco, what is it? What's got you so lathered up?' Harry asked curiously.  
  
Draco sighed and eyed the book warily, stepping back a pace from his lover as if he was afraid of the book he held, which in truth he was. 'Harry, that book...it doesn't mean 'cursed' in the respect of 'curses and hexes' type curse. It means cursed as in 'people' type cursed.'  
  
'Dray, you're making _no _sense here. Will you just say it in normal Queen's English please?' Harry said exasperated now.  
  
'Oh hell, fine then,' Draco said still keeping his distance. 'I mean 'cursed' as in 'blood cursed', like vampires, werewolves and the like. Cursed 'beings' or 'creatures' all right? Dark blooded creatures, that sort of 'cursed'.'  
  
'Cool!' Harry said then, and began to flip through the book. 'It's all in that same language though, can't read a thing, can you?' he asked holding the book out to Draco now.  
  
Draco again stepped back, a stricken look on his face. 'I...Harry...Harry I can't...I can't touch it,' he said quietly, and looked down at his hands again nervously.  
  
Harry looked at Draco totally puzzled by that. 'Why not? It's only a book, Draco.'  
  
Draco looked back up and shook his head, his eyes now on the book again. 'For you, yeah, it's just a book, Harry. But not for me...for me it's...I can't touch it, that's all,' he said choking back a slight sob.  
  
'Draco, why not? What's so wrong with the bloody book?' Harry demanded now and stepped towards Draco again.  
  
However something happened neither of them expected. Harry's shoe caught on the flagstones and he tripped, sprawling directly into Draco. Harry saw almost as if it was slow motion he would recall later on, the panic-stricken look in Draco's eyes as he and the book fell on top of Draco. The moment the book in Harry's hand met Draco's skin they both heard the whispers of a strange language, like someone was saying a spell, then they both felt a pull. They both tried to scream but little came out, and then they saw a white flash of light like before, and finally a strange darkness claimed them both.  
  
In the restricted section of Hogwarts library a book clattered to the floor, it's pages blowing shut. It lay there for a moment untouched, then oddly enough the book floated off the floor as if it was being picked up by someone unknown ghostly person, though that couldn't have been possible. The book floated in the air a moment then righted itself and found it's way back to the shelf it had come from. The gate to the restricted section closed on it's own, and the door to the library blew shut, and once again it was empty, not a single sign showing anyone had been in there at all. For the four people who had been in there though, they had no clue what had happened to them yet, nor where they would end up. As for where they would eventually end up, they were soon to find out that they were in for some very odd and unusual surprises, ones they never would have expected.  
  
  


**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_**

September 24, 2002 1:22 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy   



	2. I'm A What?

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
Terribly sorry on delay on posting the last two days, been down again with the stupid flu and this is the first time I'm even out of bed since Monday :sigh: I'm feeling a bit better so hopefully will be back on track now. :)  
  
  
I guess you mates really are in mood for the 'and now for something completely different' fic eh? :chuckle: (Monty Python by the by that's from, gotta love them eh? :P ) Again quick reminder here: from here on out _nothing _is going to be 'normal', and the HP world is about to become very skewed. This _is _an AU world with canon characters, but not all of them will be what you think! :whistles: Don't ask me what I am thinking whilst writing this fic, I don't know, nor will attempt to know yet :gaze up:. It's all coming from me muse Scabbers (giggles as Peter sticks his tongue out at her) whose decided to wreak havoc and throw our poor adorable characters into everything they never thought they would :grins: Enjoy! (And remember I did warn you right off, this is a topsy-turvey place you're about to enter...so like the goblins say 'Take Heed!')  
  
  
**_Cheers to:_**   
  
**Kday2 **(believe it or not, for once Albus is innocent! :P)**, Wildfire**, **Temptress **(ohh Greece! Lovely place we'll have to talk on that!), **Mistykasumi**, **Courtney**, **Hana**, **Amissa**, **AmZ**, **The Lady Guena**, **Toyo**, **Myr **(so I do luv, maybe now that her court case is over though...we'll see some work eh? :P), **Sadineye**, **Melodie**, **The Slayer**, **Angela **(you are very welcome luv! Glad to be of service!), **Shades **(:laughs: as to Remus, you should know by now that if I put in something like that, it worms it's way back :whistles:, Sev has had a 'few' good days, not in a long long time though sadly, there's more than one type 'curse' (and you might want to remember that book too :grins:) and no Sirius is not married to Peter, Sev or Remy in this one :catches her as she faints again heh!: and yes I will finish the others, have no fear!, and **Darklady**. :hugs to everyone!: And of course, to all of you who are reading as well, cheers mates, and hope you're enjoying! :)  
  
  
  


**_~~Chapter Two: I'm A What...?~~  
  
_**

  
'This is all _your _fault you know!'  
  
_'My _fault? How in the name of Godric did you come up with _that _stupid idea?'  
  
'Because it just is, _that's _why. Of all the idiotic ideas _you _had to give me - '  
  
_'I _gave you? Don't blame _me _for some bee that got under _your _bonnet, uh uh. Besides, _I _wasn't the one looking through things that had _no _relevance!'  
  
'It had _every _relevance you git! Might I remind you of what _you _are?'  
  
'Even so, _you _should know better than to mess with things of _that _nature. Especially when - ' the second person who was speaking, or rather yelling, began to say when a sudden 'thud' behind him caused him to stop his words midstream. Turning round quickly he focused his gaze at the large lump of clothing that had appeared on the floor, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. 'Who's there?'  
  
'What is it?' the first person asked as he turned towards the pile of clothes himself.  
  
'I don't know but it's moving, so it's alive at any rate. Where'd it come from?' the second person asked then slowly stepped towards the semi-moving pile of cloth.   
  
The first person snorted then glared at the second person, anger still burning brightly in his eyes. 'Right, like we're supposed to know _that_?' he said in a surly voice. 'This is just _not _happening...and I still blame you,' he muttered, glaring darkly at the other person.  
  
'Oh stop acting like a child won't you? Honestly,' the second person bit back irritated.  
  
'Oh that's rich considering we _are_ children, in case _you _hadn't noticed?' the first person replied mockingly.  
  
'Yes I _had _noticed that fact. And we're teenagers, _not _children thank you much,' the second person said back in a cranky voice, then his attention was redrawn back to the pile of clothing on the floor that was not only moving now but groaning as well. Stepping in for a closer look he then gasped at what, or rather who, he was seeing now. 'I don't believe it...what are you two doing here?' he said now in a surprised voice.  
  
Harry groaned again softly then opened his eyes, positive he knew the voices speaking, yet somehow unsure at the same time. Blinking at who he was looking at he gasped in surprise himself, for it just couldn't be the person who's voice he'd attached to a moment ago...could it? Deciding that he was under some spell or something, and the person wasn't really there, he turned to the person he now saw instead. That person at least he recognised as familiar, and he hoped the person was all right. 'Draco? All right there? he said now in a soft voice.  
  
'I will be once you get off of me, Harry!' Draco responded with a groan himself, grateful when Harry quickly shifted off of him. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes and sighed, then opened them and focused on Harry worriedly. 'All right?' he asked quietly.  
  
Harry nodded. 'Yeah, think so. What happened?' he asked now, still ignoring the person who was watching them both now.  
  
Draco suddenly realised though they were being watched and turned to face the other person, his eyes narrowing in suspicion himself. 'Who are you?' he asked.  
  
The person looking at them then smiled, and shook his head, chuckling a little before focusing his attention back to Harry. 'You don't recognize me, Harry?' he asked.  
  
'Oh stop being a git. Of course he probably doesn't recognize you you moron, he's never seen you _this _way!' the other person mumbled and walked over to the others. As soon as he stepped into the torchlight however he heard a gasp from Harry and Draco, and he realised now they did indeed recognize _him _at least, if not both of them.  
  
'P-Professor Snape? Professor...Lupin...Remus? Is that you?' Harry asked now still in a bit of shock, finally recognising them both.  
  
Remus laughed and nodded, then shot Severus a glare for his attitude. 'Afraid so, Harry, I _think _it's us anyway. Well I know I'm _me _at least,' he said nodding his head.  
  
'Someone want to tell us what the hell is going on here?' Draco said eyeing Remus and Severus coolly. 'Why are you both...er...young?'  
  
'Why are you and Potter acting civil?' Severus shot back huffily and crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
'Hey, I asked first!' Draco said glaring at the younger Severus. 'Answer _our _questions and we'll answer _yours_.'  
  
Severus was about to snidely reply to that statement when Remus intervened. 'That seems fair enough. As to your question, Draco, we haven't a clue yet why we are young again. Now it's your turn for Severus's question,' he said with a grin.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. 'This isn't twenty questions you know,' he said petulantly and saw the blank look on Draco and Severus's faces at that. 'A Muggle game where you ask...oh never mind. Just tell us what's going on here won't you?'   
  
Remus shrugged his shoulders then looked over at Severus, who was clearly trying not to say anything at all, if not ignore everyone else now. 'We honestly don't know what is going on here, Harry. All we have managed to figure out is that Severus and I are teenagers again, and we're still in the library, but...well...' he said hesitantly.  
  
'Well what?' Harry asked curiously and looked round himself. Indeed they were in the library, but something wasn't right about this place, that much he could tell. For one it was way too dark, and the rest he couldn't quite put his finger on yet.  
  
'Harry, Draco...this place..._this _library...isn't _our _library,' Remus said softly.  
  
'That...makes no sense. What do you mean it's not 'our' library?' Draco demanded.  
  
'What he means is simple, Malfoy, if you bothered to pay attention,' Severus said haughtily, stepping back into the conversation. _'This _library is _not _the library in which all four of us were in just a little while ago, nor is it even the same library that was at the school during the time Lupin and I were younger. In point of fact, we are not even in a 'restricted' section at all, since there apparently is no such place in _this _library,' he said now pointing to where a gate should have been, but clearly wasn't.  
  
'What were you two doing in the restricted area anyway?' Remus asked curiously now.  
  
Harry and Draco flushed a moment before trying to answer that. 'Err...that is...umm...we were...I mean...' Harry stammered and looked at Draco for support.  
  
'We were studying,' Draco said cutting in.  
  
'Studying? Right, like I believe _that _for a second,' Severus huffed and turned to glare at Harry. 'Trying to improve those lacking grades are we, Potter?' he sneered.  
  
'Oh stuff it, Severus, Harry's marks are just fine,' Remus said impatiently, shooting Severus another glare. Turning back to the boys now he said, 'Why were you in the restricted section though?'  
  
'We heard you looking for Professor Snape, then we heard a scream so we went to check,' Harry said now, still bristling over Severus's comment. The only class Harry really needed to 'improve' in would have been potions, and the only reason for that was Snape's hatred of him prevented him from getting higher marks. He may not have been Head Boy like Draco, but he still had very high marks in every other class.  
  
Severus started at the comment he made then peered at Draco, a knowing expression on his face. 'You touched the book, didn't you,' he said accusingly.  
  
Draco paled that then glanced at Harry, shaking his head nervously. 'N-no...I...I didn't err..._exactly_...touch it, Professor. More like it um...err...it touched...me,' he said.  
  
Severus groaned and shook his head, stepping closer to Draco. 'How could you let it touch you, you fool!' he said, his black eyes blazing angrily.  
  
'He _didn't _touch it, not deliberately anyway. I picked up the book and then I tripped on the flagstone...and ended up crashing into him. Next thing we know there's some voices and a strange white light, and then we woke up here...wherever _here _is. And what's the big deal about that stupid book? Why can't Draco touch it but you two could?' Harry said back just as angrily.  
  
Draco flinched, Severus just seemed to find something other than Draco to stare at, namely the floor, and Remus just looked between them both, suspicion in his mind. 'It's not the Veela blood...is it, Draco,' he said quietly now, and gave Draco an understanding look.  
  
'Veela blood?' Harry repeated dumbly, and turned to Draco curiously. 'What's he mean, Dray?'   
  
'Dray?' Severus said now with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Harry muttered and Draco just groaned, slapping himself on the forehead. 'You're just not going to let up are you, Professor,' he said with a sigh and glanced at Harry.  
  
Harry looked back at him a bit worriedly. 'You sure?' he asked quietly.  
  
Draco nodded slowly. 'Seems we better tell them, since Merlin knows where we are and what's going on. We may need their help, rather not give them a heart attack later eh?' he said with a grin now.  
  
Harry chuckled and nodded, then turned back to his professors. He felt more than saw Draco move closer to him and he took Draco's hand in his own for strength, he figured he'd need it. He grinned then at seeing the surprise on both Remus and Severus's face, and he knew he was going to really shock these two people no question there. 'I guess you could say we're not 'enemies' anymore. In fact, we've been secretly 'dating' since the beginning of Summer over a year ago, and more in love with each other every day, even though we have to pretend still we hate each other,' he said, blushing slightly.  
  
_'IN LOVE_?' Remus and Severus said in shock, both practically at the same time. 'How did _that _happen?' Severus growled.  
  
'Since obviously 'love' is something _you've _never been in, Professor,' Draco drawled, 'I guess we'll have to explain it. We _were _enemies, something happened that changed that, which no I _won't _tell you what it was, but it because of it we fell in _love_. It was as simple as that, so get used to it and live with it,' he smirked.  
  
Harry looked sheepish at what Draco had said and focused his gaze on Remus. 'I would have told you, Professor, but only a few people were allowed to know. Sirius doesn't even know about this, not that _he _tells _me _things these days apparently either' he muttered now.  
  
'If it's any consolation, Harry, he didn't tell me about his wedding until afterwards either. Seems his 'secret' was well kept till the last moment. Is Draco the reason you weren't at the Burrow _this _Summer I take it?' Remus asked.  
  
Harry nodded and blushed, then gazed deeply at Draco for a moment before turning back to his teacher. 'We were on a three week cruise actually at the time I was supposed to go to Ron's house.'  
  
_'Alone_?' Severus said almost horrified.  
  
Harry laughed at his teachers tone of voice, then shook his head. 'Sadly no, Mrs. Figg was with us the whole time. Don't worry, we changed our appearances just enough to get noticed by using a Glamour Charm that she applied to us daily, and using 'Muggle beauty aides' I managed to hide my scar whilst on the trip. I also fixed my eyesight this Summer, the glasses are really more for 'show' now, not real, just glass pieces. Don't worry though, not a single person knew who we were, we were registered as 'Harry Jameson' and 'Drake Malloy'. Two ordinary Muggle school chums on a Muggle cruise with my 'grandmum'...Mrs. Bella Jameson,' he said with a grin.  
  
'That was still damn risky, Harry! Did Dumbledore know about your trip?' Remus said going into his 'parent' mode as he sometimes did with Harry.   
  
Harry nodded. 'Of course, who do you think suggested the trip?' he laughed. 'As well as he's the one who sent Mrs. Figg with us. Everything was _his _idea actually, he said we could both use the break away, and he even got Mrs. Malfoy to get Draco's dad to go to Russia and leave Draco 'behind' for three weeks. Was a perfect ploy and well worth it,' he said glancing lovingly at Draco again.  
  
'So _that's _how mum convinced father to go on their trip!' Draco said laughing. 'I wondered why he gave in so easily. Yup, it was a well worth cruise too, an not just for the 'cabin capabilities,' he said grinning broadly. 'We went all over the Mediterranean. Egypt, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Tangier...it was heaven,' Draco said sighing happily.  
  
'That it was,' Harry said softly and squeezed Draco's hand gently. 'What did he mean though, Dray? What this about Veela blood?' he asked curiously now.  
  
Draco groaned and shot Severus and Remus a dark glance then sighed deeply. 'I guess I should have told you from the start, Harry, but I was afraid to,' he said quietly, more fear in his voice then he would have liked.  
  
'Draco, nothing you tell me is going to make me hate you now you silly git,' he said pulling Draco close to him. 'I love you for _you_, nothing else matters,' Harry said firmly.  
  
'Even...even if you knew I wasn't...all...human?' Draco asked worriedly.  
  
'Professor Lupin's not all human, you don't see me hating _him _do you?' Harry grinned.  
  
'Hey, I'm _mostly _human...for the most part,' Remus said with a huff, though his tone of voice wasn't really angry, more amused.  
  
'Err...yeah, I mean of course you are, professor,' Harry blushed, 'honestly, Dray, whatever it is, you can tell me.'  
  
'Well...' Draco said and glanced at Severus who only shrugged at him and gave him a look that clearly meant 'it's-up-to-you'. 'All right, I do have some veela blood in me, Harry...on my father's side. My grandmum was a veela actually.'  
  
'That's what bugging you, Dray? Just because you have veela blood - ' he began but Draco cut him off.  
  
'Not exactly _just _veela blood, Harry,' he said quietly.  
  
'Err...there's more?' Harry asked curious now.  
  
Draco sighed and nodded, tensing up because he knew this was going to be very hard to say. It was something very, very few people knew about his family, Severus being one of them only because of circumstances and his connection to the Malfoy family. 'Veela blood isn't considered cursed blood, not enough anyway to have caused a reaction to the book.'  
  
Harry remembered how Draco refused to touch the book back at their library now, and he did wonder why that was. 'So...what is it then? Why couldn't you touch it?' he asked puzzled.  
  
'It's because...because my grandmum on my mother's side...was a Naga. It's _that _blood that's cursed, and it's the whole bloody reason how I got my name too,' he muttered.  
  
'I don't get it, what's a Naga?' Harry asked curiously.  
  
'Don't you teach anything in that class of yours, Lupin? Naga's aren't up to standard these days or what?' Severus said mockingly at Remus now.  
  
'Sod off, Severus, I haven't started on Naga's yet is all, that's covered next term. And at least _I _know the difference in that Kappa's are found in _Japan_and _not _Mongolia!' Remus said with a smirk.  
  
'Oh for the love of...you...whatever!' Severus said throwing his hands in the air, and saying a few choice oaths under his breath. 'Annoying prat!' he muttered.  
  
'I heard that you large nosed git! Who's talking about being an annoying prat eh? _You _were the one always on _our _case at school!' Remus said haughtily.  
  
_'I _wasn't the one who nearly got expelled for shagging Black in the greenhouse!' Severus bit back.  
  
_'You _shouldn't talk you greasy haired, annoying, pain the arse excuse of a Potion Master! At least _we _were more discreet about it all the _other _times, unlike _some _people I could name!' Remus said angrily.  
  
'**HOLD IT**!' Harry yelled out, his face pale and almost sickly. _'You _shagged my godfather at school?' he said looking at Severus now in shock.  
  
'Err...' Severus said coughing slightly, actually blushing at that comment. 'I don't believe it's any of _your _business, Mr. Potter, who I 'shagged' when I was at school,' he grumbled.  
  
'He certainly _did_,' Remus said before Severus even finished his words, which only earned him a glare from Severus. 'Those two were 'dating' for a couple of months before Sirius decided to 'move on' again like he usually did,' he said with a scowl.  
  
_'Six _months, Lupin, not a 'few' thank you,' Severus said almost grinning like the cat that ate the canary. 'And if _I _remember correctly, he left _you_...for _me_,' he said now all too smug.  
  
Remus growled at him, his eyes turning nearly yellow in remembrance. '_Don't. Remind. Me. Severus_,' he said angrily, making a move towards Severus menacingly.   
  
'Will the both of you just _quit it_?' Harry said turning nearly green now. 'I _really _don't want to hear about Sirius's sex life! Especially if it involves the both of you!'  
  
Remus growled again at Severus who was still smug looking, but calmed down again, and turned back to Harry and Draco. 'Yes, well, of course you wouldn't. Not that it matters anyway now since he's married. Let's hope though he's learned a few lessons in what that word means,' he muttered more under his breath then outloud. He then turned to look at Draco curiously and said, 'So you're part Naga eh? Interesting combination there...veela and Naga blood. That would explain why you couldn't touch the book though.'  
  
'What _is _a Naga exactly? And what's it got to do with that book?' Harry asked now, looking still a bit green round the gills so to speak as really rampant thoughts of his godfather and his potion's master, as well as Remus, were running through his mind now to his dismay.  
  
'I'll explain it, since it's me we're talking about,' Draco said softly, and turned back to Harry. 'Naga's are dragon demons...of sorts. Their upper half is human, their lower half is a serpent. Naga women can marry humans and reproduce though, don't ask me how I really don't want to go into that. They live mainly in the seas in the underworlds where they rule as semi-divine beings. They can shape change at will from serpent to human, and you don't want to anger one as they can flood any river they so choose. Though some people differ on what they really are capable of, nearly everyone agrees that Naga's are highly magical, and scholars of wisdom and knowledge. My grandmother was Indian, and she was a Hindu priestess in the underworld, but when she met my grandfather who was on holiday there, she fell in love and came to England to be with him. She's all right really, unlike my veela grandmother who hates me with a passion, though grandmama Chydna does tend to hiss at me more than not,' he said with a nervous chuckle.  
  
'Whoa...so...that's why you're blood's cursed because you're part demon? You don't turn into a serpent or anything do you?' Harry asked.  
  
Draco blushed and nodded his head slowly. 'Err...well...I can if I want to, though unless I'm round my grandmum and grandfather I never do, she insists on it though when mum and I visit. I'm not a Parseltongue though, I can only talk to other Naga's in our own language, Naga-Krita, but with you being a Parseltongue you could probably understand me when I speak it, since it's a serpent language and all,' he said.  
  
'That's...kind of cool actually,' Harry said grinning. 'So that's how you got named Draco then?' Harry asked.  
  
Draco nodded and groaned. 'Yeah, that was my grandmum's idea, thought it would be 'cute', sheesh. Father wanted me to be called something a little less dramatic he said, but I never knew what it was he'd have called me,' Draco said shrugging.  
  
'Darius,' Severus said from his spot in the corner.  
  
'What?' Draco said puzzled.  
  
Severus came back over and looked at Draco oddly. 'He was going to call you Darius. Your grandmother however, a most impressive woman I might add, quelled that name in a hurry right there and then. Lucius never had a chance to refuse the name Draco, though you should be lucky it wasn't Draconia,' he snorted.  
  
'Eww...that's a girls name!' Draco said shuddering.  
  
'As tiny as you were whilst Narcissa was pregnant with you, everyone thought you _were _a girl,' Severus said with a chuckle, something that made Harry, Draco and even Remus stare at him for. 'What?' he said as he saw them staring.  
  
'I do believe that was a chuckle from you, Severus Snape. Perhaps there _is _hope for you yet,' Remus said with a slight smirk.  
  
Severus dismissed that with a wave of his hand. 'I am known to 'chuckle' from time to time, Lupin. I'm not _always _a sour git,' he said.  
  
'Could have fooled me,' Harry muttered innocently.  
  
'If I could take house points at the moment, Mr. Potter, that would have earned you at least twenty,' Severus said huffily, though he sounded more amused than angry.  
  
'Well since you can't I guess that's just too bad for you eh? Which brings us to the issue of _why _you can't, Severus,' Remus said looking round again now at where they were. 'We still haven't figured out exactly what is going on here, and I'm not even going into the fact that you and I are...dare I even want to say this..._teenagers_...again,' Remus said shuddering.  
  
'You just _had _to remind me of that didn't you, Lupin,' Severus said with a deep sigh. 'As if being a teenager the _first _time wasn't bad enough...' he grumbled.  
  
'Yeah, why _are _you two young again?' Draco asked curiously.  
  
'Could it have something to do with that book? And I still don't get it, what is that book anyway?' Harry asked.  
  
'The _Y Llyfrau Y Gan Melltigedig,_ 'The Book Of The Cursed', not exactly your normal 'dark arts' guide that's for sure,' Draco said again, though that didn't clear up matters at all.  
  
'Basically, Harry, anyone with 'cursed' blood should avoid it, as it tends to become...er...'unstable' persay. For someone like Draco who was 'born' with cursed blood, they can't even touch the book without serious issues arising,' Remus said thoughtfully, his gaze now on Severus.  
  
'You mean like ending up somewhere they don't belong?' Harry queried.  
  
'Something like that, though there's never been a documents case of something like _this _happening, far as I know,' Remus said distractedly, then turned to face Severus full on. 'For people like me who were _not _born with cursed blood, and yes, werewolves 'cursed' creatures, we _can _touch the book as long as we don't _read _from it, a mistake I erringly made. So...tell me what _your _excuse is, Severus?'   
  
'_M-my_ excuse?' Severus stammered then, his gaze settling on Remus a bit fearfully. 'Not a clue what you're talking about, Lupin,' he muttered.  
  
'I can understand why _I _am here, since I stupidly read the words on the page that it was open to at the time without thinking, and now why Draco is here. Obviously it dragged Harry along with Draco when the book touched him. So why are _you _here, Severus?' Remus said stepping closer to him and looking him deep in the eye. Severus then turned and looked back at him and Remus saw something in those eyes that made him back up quickly, and he landed on the floor with thud. 'Ah..._now _I understand, that does make sense,' he said quietly and looked up at Severus knowingly.  
  
'You know _nothing_, Lupin!' Severus snarled and turned away quickly, avoiding the look Remus was giving him.  
  
'When?' Remus said quietly, standing back up and walking back over to Severus, putting his hand gently on Severus's arm. 'When did it happen, Severus?  
  
'In my f-first-year,' he said in a quiet voice himself.  
  
'First-year? _That _long ago? How?' Remus asked startled now.  
  
Severus sighed and turned back round, looking Remus in the eyes. 'I made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time you could say. A late night stroll because I couldn't sleep was _my _downfall, Lupin.'  
  
'I see. So we've more in common than I thought after all you and I, Severus Snape,' Remus ask softly, noting that Severus had not shaken his hand off yet oddly enough.  
  
'They caught the one who did it a few weeks later, but they let him go. Yet _another _betrayal to add to an ever growing pile, they should have killed him and been done with it,' Severus said thickly.  
  
'Would it have made it easier on you if they had? You still would have been the same either way,' Remus said.  
  
'It would have been justice, Lupin! Justice that _I _never seem to get! First that had to happen, then...then...' he began to say, but for some reason he couldn't finish his words.  
  
'Just like you thought Sirius got away with what happened back then? Is that it?' Remus said quietly.  
  
Severus scowled darkly and shook his head. 'I didn't care about that, I know Black suffered for what happened that day. That wasn't the injustice of it, Lupin, not at all. Did you really think I didn't know what you were? Everyone else in the school minus your 'friends' may have been blind...but _I _wasn't. I picked up what _you _were instantly after what happened to _me_. I knew about the willow, the tunnel, where you and your friends went...I knew about it _all_.'  
  
'Then...then why did you come there that night? Why did you risk yourself like that?' Remus asked puzzled.  
  
Severus gave Remus a strange look, a deep sigh coming from his very being. 'Because I wanted to die that night, Lupin. I _wanted _you to kill me, alright? After over five years of living like I was, I couldn't take it anymore. Black just gave me the opportunity I was waiting for is all, the easy way out. I followed your little group for years, not because of Quidditch, hell no like _I _cared for that, but because of _you_. To find just one moment in the day when I could get you alone...and ask...beg you even...to kill me at the next full moon. Black just made it all too easy,' he said.  
  
Remus didn't know what to respond to that, but he did tighten his grip on Severus's arm, noticing again oddly enough, that Severus said nothing nor did anything to move his hand. 'I wouldn't have...I couldn't have...done that, Severus. Not to _you_...not to anyone...' he said in a pained voice, paling a bit.  
  
'I know that _now_, Lupin, but back then I _wanted _to die, I didn't care about the consequences either. I hated Potter for saving me, I was more angry about that than anything else. _Living _was the injustice, Lupin, not what happened. I was angry at you though for letting me live, for _not _killing me, which is why...' he trailed off, his gaze turning the floor nervously.  
  
'Which was why you seduced Sirius away from me? Because you hated me that much for letting you live?' Remus asked thoughtfully.  
  
'I _didn't _hate you, I was angry yes, but I didn't _hate _you. I _used _Black, I admit that now, I used him so that _you _would hate _him_, see him for what he was. You think he was faithful to _me_?' Severus snorted. 'Hardly, any more than he was to _you_, Lupin. I wanted him to hurt, to pay for hurting me and giving me the opportunity then backing out on me by telling Potter at the last minute. For making me miserable because of it...for finding out the fucking truth of what I am!'   
  
'I don't understand, if he knew...why has he never said anything? And of course I knew Sirius was cheating on me, and you, and yes, I _did _hate him for that, but that was Sirius, nothing _anyone _could do about it. He was nothing more than a romancer back then to woman or men, he had no preference as long they could shag. Love 'em and leave 'em was his motto, and he did that oh so well didn't he,' Remus snorted himself.  
  
'Yes, he was good at, and he hurt us both in the process, Lupin. I wanted him to pay...and I did didn't I. I left him first, told him that I was only using him to get the 'experience' and he was no longer worth my time and efforts. How he hated me after that, oh yes he hated me. The perfect revenge though wasn't it, someone finally got under his skin,' Severus said with another chuckle.   
  
Remus looked at Severus a moment then shook his head and laughed. 'You were born to be a Slytherin, Severus Snape. I forgave him though for how he left me like that, my dismay though. He never trusted me after that, still doesn't but I suppose in a way I still don't trust him either. We're friends, far as it will ever go, though I have to say he has mellowed the past few years since leaving Azkaban,' he said thoughtfully.  
  
'Mellowed isn't what I'd say, Lupin. Gone a bit daft maybe, but if anyone can keep him in line it'll be - ' Severus began to say but was cut off quickly.  
  
'Hey! What are you doing in here?' an angry voice called out now, and the four people in the room turned in shock. 'Ohhh...you're in for it now, Harry, you're going to be in a _bunch _of trouble if James and Sirius find out you've been hanging round _them _again!'   
  
'W-what?' Harry said still dazed by the conversation he had been pointedly keeping out of with Severus and Remus, but more so by this new person.  
  
The new person walked in the room, his eyes raking over Severus, Remus and Draco with nothing short of pure hatred. 'You three just _love _to get pegged down by us don't you. You like punishment or what?' he sneered. 'How many times we gotta tell you, stay away from Harry!' the boy said angrily and pulled Harry up roughly by the arm. 'Come on, Harry, before you're found here with _them_. Why you insist on hanging round with Gryffindork rubbish like this is beyond me. Honestly, you'd think you _liked _those stupid Gryffindorks or something!' the boy said heatedly as he quickly walked out of the room with Harry in tow, not before throwing another hate-filled glance back at the other three.  
  
Remus, Severus and Draco watched them leave, mixed expressions on their faces. 'That...was...odd,' Draco said.  
  
'That...was Peter Pettigrew?' Remus said in shock.  
  
'Apparently so. Did...you happen to notice anything _else _odd, Lupin?' Severus asked now, and looked down at the robe he was wearing, more specifically at the badge on it.  
  
'No, what?' Remus asked, still staring at the doorway like he'd seen a ghost.  
  
'I don't believe it, our badges!' Draco said looking down at his own robe after he noticed Severus look at his.  
  
Remus did look down but it didn't register to him. 'What about them?' he asked puzzled.  
  
'Maybe because _you _were a Gryffindor it's not registering yet, Lupin. Look at _my _badge...' Severus said slowly and held his out for Remus too look at.  
  
Remus did look, and looked again, staring now. Then turning to Draco he looked at his badge and stared yet again. Turning back to Severus he said in an unsteady voice, 'Is this a joke?'  
  
'I dare say, it's not. Pettigrew and Potter had on badges too, opposite of _these_,' Severus said slowly.  
  
'Oh holy hell, what in the name of Godric have we gotten ourselves into?' Remus said with a groan.  
  
'I don't know, but - ' Severus began, but again was cut off.  
  
_'There _you are! I've been looking _everywhere _for you three! Figures you'd be here though, no one ever would think of using _this _place anymore eh? Ugg, the dust in here, how do you stand it!' another voice said cutting in now and sneezing as he walked into the room. 'Anyway, you better get back to the tower quick, it's almost curfew you know. You _don't _want to be caught by Filch again do you, remember the last time you three got caught? Now come on, we've still got Jigger's potion assignment to do and we _really _need your help, Severus. I can't flunk anything this year!' the new boy whinged and then headed back towards the doorway. 'Well?'   
  
'Err...we'll be umm...right there...' Remus said staring at the boy like he'd seen another ghost.  
  
'All right, but _don't _say I didn't warn you!' he said sneezing again. 'I _really _hope you weren't up here with that _pure-blood_ again,' he said making a face, 'honestly, what do you see in that snake? Err...no offense Draco, I didn't mean _your_ kind you know, you're cool and all. _Pure-bloods_ though, give me a break!' he said making another face and then walked out of the library in a huff.  
  
Remus, Severus and Draco turned to each other, questions forming in all their eyes. 'That was...Frank Longbottom...wasn't it, Lupin?' Severus asked quietly now.  
  
Remus nodded, his expression now thoughtful. 'Yeah, and he's a kid...er...teenager too. Which means...' he said looking at Severus now dazed.  
  
'Black, Potter Sr. and everyone _we _went to school with...are all here...and all teenagers. So how is it they knew Potter Jr. and Malfoy then?' Severus said equally thoughtful.   
  
'They _do _seem to know us, obviously they didn't mistake Harry for his father like usual. And apparently...they know what _I _am,' Draco said groaning.  
  
'This is getting odder and odder I have to say. From the sounds of it though, things are definitely going to get stranger as the night goes on. The way Frank was talking...the way he said 'pure-blood' was about as bad as saying...err...' Remus said trailing off and looking at Severus.  
  
'Mudblood,' Severus said quietly, finishing out the sentence. 'Yes, I noticed that too. And the way Pettigrew was talking, it was clear that 'pure-bloods' are something _we _are not in this world, or not to the degree we think we are,' he said.  
  
'This makes _no _sense,' Draco said with a sigh.  
  
'No, it doesn't, but I have a feeling if we don't leave soon, we're in for a heck of a lot more than a few detentions for being out past curfew. Back in _our _day Filch wasn't just nasty, but downright vengeful,' Remus said with a shudder. 'Come on, let's go. Maybe we'll get some answers along the way.'  
  
'You're...you're not expecting _us _to go _there _are you?' Severus said sharply.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and tapped the badge on Severus's chest. 'Apparently, Severus, you already are _there _as you put it. Now do you want to get caught by Filch or what? Let's go!' he said heading towards the door, not even checking if the others were following him.  
  
Severus looked at Draco who looked back with a shrug. 'Come on Malfoy, let's go too, he's right much as I hate to admit it. Filch, detestable as he is in _our _world, could be far _worse _here. Although he was pretty bad during my stay as a student grant you that, and I don't relish having to spend another evening cleaning out the boy's loo again,' he said with a shiver.  
  
'Remind me to ask you about _that _one day, Professor,' Draco said with a grin, then headed towards the door. 'Are we really..._Gryffindors_?'  
  
'For the moment it seems so, Draco. And for safety sake, you better call me 'Severus', _not _that I condone that mind you, but since we're the same age it would look rather odd if you called me 'professor',' he said heading to the door himself now.  
  
'Does that mean I'll have to called Lupin, Remus? And you'll have to as well?' he said with a sly grin.  
  
Severus muttered then shook his head slowly. 'Not a word on _that _issue if you don't mind.'  
  
Draco turned and looked at his professor for a moment, seeing something apparently he'd missed before. 'You like him...don't you,' he said matter-of-factly.  
  
'What in the name of Sly-Merlin do you mean by _that_?' Severus said stopping shortly with a scowl.  
  
Draco laughed and shook his head at Severus, a knowing look in his eyes. 'Alright, I won't press it now, but I will say that you two remind me a heck of a lot of Harry and I, that's all. Before we became lovers even, and what led up to it...think about it,' he said with a knowing grin, then headed out the door before Severus could respond.  
  
'You're seeing far too much for your own good, Draco Malfoy...' he whispered under his breath, glad Draco wasn't there to see the fear in his eyes, or the admittance. Putting back on a scowl on his face he too headed out the door towards his 'dorm', wondering again what exactly they had gotten themselves into. Not to mention how the heck they were going to get home...or _if _they would ever get home.

**_  
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_**


	3. A World Like Any Other?

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
Again, sorry for not posting yesterday, slept through the entire day I'm afraid. Due to the fact that with my Lupus I have almost no immune system, shaking even the common cold can be gruesome for me :sigh: So please forgive me if in the next few days I don't update as normal, I will try. I slept through most of today too so I hope I can even get this out tonight (Sat) as it's already 7:30 PM and it takes me usually a good 8 hours on a non-bad day to post a fresh chap. Will try though! :) Well, all right, that didn't work, slept through Saturday too :mutters: so now here it's Sunday and I WILL get this out today, finally I think I've slept meself out phew! :gaze up:  
  
  
**_Cheers to:_**  
  
**Constantine **(:squeals squishy hugs and smooches!), **Mistykasumi, Wildfire, Temptress **(as for Ron, Neville, etc, you'll just have to see! :grins:), **Slone **(ah, that will be recounted in a 'flashback' somewhere along the line luv, well I'll try anyway! :chuckle:), **Asioleh, Myr, Sadineye, Nagani, Angela **(did you get my email luv? As for Naga's, yup they do exist in several cultures. I meant to put a www addy in the footnotes last chap, I'll see if I can find the page again where it was so helpful to me on their 'history'), **Shades **(heh nothing is what it will seem luv, trust me :P), **Shini **(answers in time luv, but mirrors have more than one purpose that's all I'll say :chuckle:), **Kday2 **(ah, now those left 'behind' eh? We'll see 'bout that one!), **Hana-chan, and Slone. **  
  
Of course, cheers to all readers as well! :)  
  
  


**_~~Chapter Three: A World Like Any Other?~~  
  
  
_**

As Peter dragged Harry down the corridors towards what Harry now realised was the dungeons, he was in shock to say the least. It wasn't just the fact that it was Peter Pettigrew of all people dragging him along, nor even that he was suspecting they were heading towards the Slytherin dorms now, it was the fact that the Peter Pettigrew dragging him along wasn't _anything _like Harry last remembered seeing Peter Pettigrew. _That _Peter had been a short, balding, stammering, fearful man, and from what Harry had been told and seen from the few pictures of the 'Marauder Days', that wasn't much different from the chubby, short, stammering, tagalong youth he'd been.  
  
_This _Peter was by far different now that Harry was able to get a better look at him as he was being dragged along, much different indeed. This was a Peter that stood at 5'11" in height, two inches shorter then Harry's own 6'1" height, and not the short five foot even that Peter had stood at before. This Peter had mid-back length dark brown wavy hair that was tied back in a pony tail, with fringes a bit too long that kept getting in his eyes (which for some odd reason Harry had to fight the urge not to reach over and brush a few stray strands away).   
  
This Peter wasn't stammering or heavyset either, in fact he was muscular (and to Harry's betraying disbelief his own body had to admit that Peter was muscular in _all _of the _right _places, judging by what he was seeing outlined from underneath Peter's unbuttoned robe). What topped it off was that from the muttering Peter was doing under his breath, his voice, now that he wasn't sneering and cold sounding, was quite pleasant actually, soft and whispery like. Very unlike the high, squeaky voice that Harry had heard himself on several occasions, nor was there a single trace of a stammer or anything else in the voice he heard now.  
  
Harry had force himself to turn his thoughts back to things at hand though, one because he had to keep himself from 'examining' Peter further, and two because his mind still could not believe any of this was really happening. His two professors were now teenagers, his lover was a half-breed (not that he minded in the least, far as Harry saw things that only added to the attraction he had for Draco), and Harry still didn't have a clue what Peter was going on about in the library. Other than it was clear Peter was upset that Harry was hanging round with a bunch of 'Gryffindorks', and that Harry was clearly _not _one of them, meaning he was a...Slytherin...and a quick glance at his own badge confirmed that. It wasn't until the two boys got halfway to the Slytherin dorms that Peter finally stopped and turned to Harry, giving him a strange look that Harry wasn't sure how to interpret.  
  
'Harry, _why _do you keep doing this?' Peter asked nervously now.  
  
'Keep doing what, P-Peter?' Harry stammered, mainly because the matching dark brown eyes now resting on him were giving him a look that was crossed between anger, pity, sympathy and something else Harry definitely did _not _want to interpret.  
  
'Why do you insist on hanging out with the Gryffindors when you know what happens if you get caught with them?' he said with a slight frown. 'I mean, you're a _Potter_, you _can't _be doing stuff like that.'  
  
'Why not?' Harry asked in a huff.   
  
Peter just looked at him like he'd grown another head, then sighed. 'Honestly, Harry, I don't know what's come over you. First you defy your father a year ago when you...well you know,' he said with a downward glance and a slight blush, 'then you get into it with Jamie and Sirius over the stupidest things, and now you're hanging out with those people, and leaving me out in the cold. You never used to keep things from _me_, Harry. I don't like it a whit,' he said sullenly.  
  
Harry didn't quite know how to answer that, because none of it made sense to him. He didn't understand any of this, and he wondered what was going on here and more importantly, how to get himself out of whatever was going on. 'Look, it's my business who _I _'hang out' with. If _you _don't like it that's just too bad now, isn't it, _Peter_,' he said back coolly.  
  
Instead of Peter being upset by that however, he just looked at Harry and suddenly burst out laughing. 'Now _that's _more like the cold hearted Harry _I _know! Look, personally I have nothing against them, considering until...err...well you know I don't. However, you know damn well that James and Sirius _do_ have everything against them, so _try _to be careful all right? And stop keeping me out of the loop, Harry, I really hate the distance growing between us lately,' he said quietly and gave Harry another strange look.  
  
Harry was a bit taken aback by that, he wasn't cold hearted far as he knew...was he? Then again, if he was indeed a Slytherin, and no two ways round it he really _was _a Slytherin, then he supposed he had gotten into that house for a reason. It still confused him how his father could be here at the same time though and how Peter knew 'Harry', but he figured that would be figured out shortly as well. Then there was these odd looks from Peter, and the strange overwhelming sensation to suddenly feel almost guilty for being with those 'Gryffindors'.   
  
'Look...Pete...I err...I umm...I'm sorry all right? I don't umm...mean to make you so upset,' he said quietly now, wondering again why he was feeling compelled to even say such things to Peter Pettigrew of all people. The man who had betrayed and basically killed his parents in his world, the man who kept his godfather on the run still, and whom he usually hated with a passion.  
  
Peter just stared at Harry like he'd gone suddenly mental, then peered round the corridor nervously as if expecting someone to pop out of thin air or something. 'You really _have _been hanging round the Gryffindor's too long. Apologising to _me_, Harry? Not like you at all,' he said shaking his head in wonder. 'Don't _ever _let James, Sirius or...your father,' he shivered, 'hear you apologize to _me_...or _anyone _for that matter. Not unless you want to be sent to your father's office again.'  
  
Harry didn't even dare to try and respond to that comment, because he had no clue what to say. His father was a professor here then? If that was the case though, why was Severus, Remus and Peter teenagers and not they're normal ages? As they passed down the corridor that Harry recognised as leading to the Slytherin dorms, his mind raced with dozens of questions.   
  
Keeping his gaze away from Peter he now glanced at the corridor they were in, and saw things that nearly made him cringe. Portraits of dark wizards that he'd studied in history class that were forbidden to be hung in his world, now lined these hallways with pride, their sneering, cold glances eyeing the two boys as they passed them by. Finally after what seemed like forever, they arrived at a huge painting of Salazar Slytherin, and Peter stopped turning once again to Harry.  
  
'I can't protect you if they figure it out this time, Harry, but I'll do my best. I'll tell them I found you on the Quidditch pitch practising for the match coming up this weekend, so back me up won't you?' he said hesitantly.  
  
'Why would _you _help me out?' Harry asked coldly.  
  
Peter shrugged, obviously used to Harry being cold like this. 'Harry, by now I'd think you'd figure that out. Besides, I'm in no mood to have you and James go rounds tonight, the last row you two had nearly destroyed the commons,' he said with a slight groan at some unpleasant memory.  
  
Harry didn't even get a chance to reply to that when the portrait swung open and a very irate looking, not to mention a very young looking, Sirius Black walked out, a deep scowl on his face. 'About time you two. Where the hell were you _now_?' he said gruffly, looking straight at Harry.  
  
'He's was at the pitch doing some practise laps...right, Harry?' Peter said quickly, silently pleading with Harry to go along with his 'plan'.  
  
Harry couldn't didn't seem capable of answering for the moment, again mainly because he couldn't believe he was looking at the same Sirius Black that he knew in his world. This was also a totally different Sirius Black, not the godfather he'd grown fond of (even if he had gone off and gotten married without telling anyone), but a very dark, down-right _mean _looking Sirius Black.   
  
This Sirius had short black hair that was gelled back, making it look sheen and slick, unlike 'his' Sirius's long just past shoulder length hair that usually hung scraggly no matter what he tried to do with it. Though this Sirius also had black eyes, they were cold and filled with suspicion and anger, not the warm, kind eyes of his Sirius. Standing at 5'7", unlike his Sirius's 6'2" height, this Sirius still had a stance that screamed nothing short of pure 'power', a boy who was afraid of nothing and no one.  
  
This Sirius definitely looked like someone you wouldn't want to upset or he'd throw a few nasty Unforgivables at you without batting an eyelid. He was wiry in stature but muscular, though not quite as muscular as Peter was. His muscles must have been from years of Quidditch though, they were fine tuned for Beater typed muscles with powerful arms capable of smashing into rogue bludgers. A fleeting though in Harry's mind also put forth the possibility that Sirius might have gotten some of those muscles from 'other' type of 'activities', ones that Harry was sure he really didn't want to know.   
  
'Well? You going to stand there or get in here?' Sirius said now, giving Harry an ominous look. 'I hope for _your _sake you really _were _on the pitch. James is in a right mood and you _don't _want him thinking you were out with that _filth _again,' he spat out in disgust.  
  
Harry was taken aback at how cold Sirius sounded, and how threatening as well, though he wasn't going to show it. Fact was at the moment Harry _was _a Slytherin, and he could play the 'coldhearted bastard game' just as easily, even in his own world. Therefore matching Sirius's attitude now wasn't even really an effort, years of sparring with Draco had honed those particular 'skills', had fine-tuned them even. 'I _was _on the pitch like Peter said. I trust you don't have a problem with that, _Sirius_,' he said back icily, then walked past the now smirking Sirius into the common room.  
  
He stopped short as he got inside noticing yet again things were very different in this world over his. He'd been in the Slytherin dorms many times since he and Draco had become 'secret lovers', and this common room looked almost nothing like the one from his world. This one was down right elaborate, decked out in the traditional silver and green house colours, though he noticed immediately there was quite a bit of black furniture mixed in unlike in his world. Silver candelabra's magically hovered round the room, and the fireplace was positively huge and a warm fire crackled in it at the moment.  
  
However, where in his world there had been past Slytherin Head of Houses on the walls, this commons had only one portrait. One that caught his eye immediately and he slightly gasped at what he was seeing, a panic welling up in the pit of his stomach. It could have almost been a self-portrait he was now looking at, of none other then...himself...though a much older, darker version.   
  
'And where the hell have you been _this _time? Sneaking round with those half-bloods again?' a cold, sneering voice said from off to his side, making him jump.  
  
As Harry turned he nearly doubled over in shock, for there sitting on one of the sofas by the lit fireplace was none other than his father...or rather...James Potter. The shock at seeing his father completely overruled what he had just heard unfortunately, and all he could do was stand there and stare at James, though he wasn't sure what he was seeing was real.   
  
This wasn't his 'father' as he'd remembered seeing him, not in the picture book Hagrid had given him, not in the Mirror of Erised back in his first-year, nor even in the 'ghostly' form he seen of him back in fourth-year. This yet again, was a totally different James Potter, one who, like Sirius, radiated 'power', even more darker and 'evil' than Sirius had. This James Potter had strength, coldness, anger, confidence, and Harry's gut instinct told him that he was ruthless to the core. Just like Sirius had been opposite of the Sirius in Harry's world, this James Potter was opposite too.   
  
James had black hair that was down to his mid back, not short and mussy like Harry had always seen him with, as well as brown eyes that were not warm with love but equally cold, heartless and ruthless. Unlike his own father in his world, this James Potter was anything but wiry, in fact he looked as solidly muscled as a brick house. There were no lines of laughter round his face like Harry had seen on his father's face, only lines of harshness, of sneers and smirks more than anything. Not a person who was clearly loving or caring that's for sure.  
  
This James wore glasses that were silver rimmed, not the gold rimmed Harry remembered his father was always wearing in the photos. His clothing, like Peter's and Sirius's, and his own he now realised glancing down for a moment, were all black, and from the looks of it very dear at that. James at the moment was wearing a black silk shirt with silver buttons and silver serpent cufflinks with green emerald eyes, with a pair of matching crisp-cut black linen pants. Both were obviously tailored just for his build to show off those muscles perfectly too. Even his boots were black, dragon hide if Harry guessed right, and more than likely just as dear as the rest of the outfit, for black dragon hide Harry knew in his own world was hard to come by. Though he was sitting down, Harry pretty much guessed him to be tall, at least his own height at anyrate, but definitely not too much shorter or taller.  
  
'He was on the pitch, though Salazar knows why. Not like _he _needs the practice,' Sirius said striding in now and throwing himself down into one of the green high-backed chairs near the fire. 'We haven't lost a match against those bloody Gryffindor's in six years, doubt we will _this _year.'  
  
'Pitch huh? You _sure _you weren't with those prat Gryffindors, _Harry_?' James snorted, giving Harry a cold, calculating, very harsh stare.  
  
Harry bristled at that and finally found his voice, knowing he had to play along with all of this. 'I _was _on the pitch. You got a problem with that, _James_?' he said coldly.  
  
'Hmph, for _your _sake you better have been. I don't want to find out you were with a certain half-blood trio again, little brother. You know Father wouldn't like that now...would he,' James said sweetly, and glanced up at the portrait over the fireplace with a slight smirk.   
  
Harry swallowed as his eyes once again fell on the portrait, and his eye now caught the plaque on it and he inhaled deeply. For a moment the plaque swam before his eyes, he couldn't believe what he was reading, but yet there it was, written in elaborate golden ink. _Maximus Tomas Potter. Headmaster of Hogwarts. One of the Greatest Dark Wizards of the 21st Century._ To say Harry was stunned would be an understatement, he felt weak and shaky, not to mention halfway to fainting. His mind finally registered what James had called him, and what he had called the man in the portrait. James...was his 'brother'? And this Maximus Potter...was their 'father' _and _a dark wizard...one of the greatest dark wizards of the century? If that was so, then what had happened to Voldemort...or had there ever been a Voldemort in this world? Harry internally groaned and silently shook his head, this just could _not _be happening!  
  
'You all right, Harry?' Peter said worriedly now as he saw how pale Harry had gone.  
  
'Probably flew too high,' Sirius snorted then got up and poked Harry in the forehead.  
  
'Ow! What'd you do that for?' Harry said angrily, quickly coming out of his dazed state to rub his forehead, glaring at Sirius now.  
  
'Cause you're acting like a git,' James said with a smirk, then got off the sofa and wrapped his arm round Harry's shoulder, and Harry noted he was exactly the same height as him after all. 'Honestly, Harry, it's hard to believe we're twins sometimes. If it wasn't that I know for fact you _are _my brother _and _a Potter, you'd think you were one of those Gryffindors!' he said causing a round of laughter from Peter, Sirius and a few stray Slytherin's that had now gathered in the common room.  
  
Harry only weakly chuckled at that, not wanting to antagonize things further. His mind was just racing way too much and he was feeling more then ever the need to get as far away from the commons as possible. Just as he was about to say something however the portrait door opened, and Harry received probably the single worst shock he could have yet. He could have maybe dealt with James, Sirius and his 'father', he even could most likely deal with the truly odd feelings he was getting when Peter glanced at him, but this new person...there was no way in heck anything could have prepared him for _this_.  
  
'Well, Master Harry,' the new person said in a quiet voice, and turned his gaze to Harry. 'I see you've finally deemed to join your housemates for the evening.'  
  
'He was out on the pitch, no harm done,' James said non-chalantly whilst sitting back down lazily on the sofa he'd occupied earlier. 'Something you wanted, _Professor_?' he asked now levelling a cool gaze at the man.  
  
The man now turned to look at James, a closed, shuttered look on his face. 'Nothing out of the ordinary, Master James. I merely need to speak with Master Harry and Mr. Pettigrew about their Transfiguration Essays they turned in earlier today. They weren't quite...up to par...and I wish to go over a few things, if that's permissible?' he asked coolly, flicking a quick glance at Harry.  
  
Harry didn't know why, but somehow he got the very distinct feeling that this man oddly enough posed no threat to him, not in this world anyway. From the very quick glance the man had cast his way it was seemed as if it was almost a plead to speak to Harry, and he decided to risk the chance. 'I don't see a problem with it, do you, James?' he said cooly now to his 'brother'.  
  
James gave Harry an equally cool look back, then shrugged and gave Sirius a look that obviously meant something Harry didn't understand. 'Whatever you want, Harry. I dare say Father will not be pleased if you manage to fail something as _easy _as Transfiguration,' he said with a slight snort, as if something like that was supposed to be beneath him.  
  
'Some people unfortunately do not find it as _easy _as you and Mr. Black do, Master James,' the man said in a clipped voice. 'If you'll meet me in the Transfiguration classroom, Master Harry, Mr. Pettigrew, I would appreciate it. At your leisure of course,' he said. Then with a slight bow of respect to James and Harry, and a nod to Peter and Sirius he headed back out the portrait on his way.  
  
James sat up now with a dark scowl on his face, glancing after the man who'd just left. 'Why Father deems to employ that man is beyond me. He's not trustworthy.'  
  
'He's a Gryffindor, James, the whole lot of them are nothing but tainted untrustworthy bastards,' Sirius spat in disgust.  
  
'True, but I suppose he really has no choice but to employ a few Gryffindor's, to make it look good at the Ministry, can't show 'favouritism' and all that. Honestly though, if Father gets his way, he'll be eliminating Gryffindor once and for all, just as Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were disbanded all those years ago. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say,' James said wrinkling his nose.  
  
Harry nearly doubled over again at hearing that, could he have heard right? Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw...were _gone _in this world? 'What have you got against the other hous-er...Gryffindor anyway?' he asked, though more out of curiosity than anything else.  
  
James and Sirius looked at Harry like he'd grown another set of arms and legs then burst out laughing. 'You _are _joking aren't you, Harry? We'rePotter's and pure-bloods of nobility for Salazar's sake, we do not demean ourselves to consort with such rubbish! They're nothing but blights on the Wizarding World, and the only reason Father even let's them come here is because of pressure from the Ministry, you know that. Sometimes I really am inclined to think you are adopted, baby brother, with as many idiotic questions as _you _ask,' James said shaking his head and rolling his eyes.  
  
'Hmph, that's what you get when you try and befriend _half-bloods_, James. Nothing but moronic questions like that,' Sirius muttered darkly and shot a glare at Harry. 'Peter, start keeping him better satisfied, not to mention on a tighter leash. It's clear you are not doing your job properly these days,' he said and threw Peter an equally dark gaze.  
  
Harry just gawked at Sirius at that point, letting those words sink in, then turned to look at Peter whom he noticed had a tight-lipped expression on his own face. Before he could even answer however he was cut off by Peter. 'I keep him satisfied well enough, thank you, Sirius. And I don't _need _to keep him on a leash, he's perfectly capable of knowing what he's doing,' Peter said coolly.  
  
'Obviously he _doesn't_, Peter, because if he _did _he would spend more time in here with _you _then gadding about out in the corridors with those _half-bloods_,' James sneered. 'What is it you see in them, little brother? Is Peter _not _doing his job well enough that suddenly you have to get it from one of those freaks? Hmm? Is it Snape maybe? Or better yet...that werewolf...Lupin I believe? I've heard animals like that are rather good at some things. Hmm? Or the worst of them all, that blond-haired mixed blood freak, Malfoy? Is it him, Harry?' James smirked.  
  
'_Just shut up, James_!' Peter shouted and pulled Harry behind him roughly, upset at hearing such horrible things about Harry. 'He's _not _interested in them like that! Don't you think _I'd _know it if he was? Just let him alone!'  
  
Sirius stepped away from the fireplace he'd been leaning on and walked up to about a foot in front of Peter, a dark menacing scowl on his face. 'You better hope for _your _sake that he _doesn't_, Peter Pettigrew. We only tolerate _you _because he foolishly chose to cast his claim mark on you. Do _not _forget, though you may have come from a pure-blooded family, they were still _traitors_, which makes you no better then a half-blood. The _only _reason you were even allowed to step foot in Slytherin is because of Harry's idiotic whims. You know damn well what that means, and if _he _suffers, _you _suffer, clear?' Sirius said threateningly.  
  
Peter nodded his head though he surprisingly held his ground and didn't back down from Sirius. 'Crystal, Sirius, crystal. Now if you'll excuse us, the professor wanted to see us, and he's been kept waiting long enough. Come on, Harry, let's go,' he said now through gritted teeth, and nearly pulled Harry's arm out of it's socket dashing for the portrait.  
  
It wasn't until they got halfway to the Transfiguration classroom that Harry stopped short mid-step, and turned to look at Peter. 'Peter?' he asked slowly.  
  
'Yeah, Harry?' Peter replied, looking back at him with a strange sadness in his eyes.  
  
'What did Sirius mean back...back there? About err...the claim mark?' he asked hesitantly.  
  
Peter gave Harry another one of those strange, questioning gazes and shook his head sadly. Leaning back against the stonework of the castle wall he slid down in a heap, as if everything was catching up to him, and he pulled his knees up to his chest giving Harry a pain-filled, tortured look. 'You would tell me if it was true...wouldn't you, Harry? You wouldn't lie to _me _right?' he pleaded.  
  
'I don't understand, lie about what?' Harry asked confused.  
  
'Oh, Harry, I don't care if you are doing something with one of the Gryffindor's, I can't stop you if you want to, I know that...but if you really want to take off the claim mark then do so...and let me go back to Gryffindor in peace. I don't know...I don't know what's going on with you anymore it seems. You don't let me in, you barely say two words to me some days...if I'm not doing what you want anymore, then please...let me go...' Peter said in a hushed, tight voice, choking back a small sob.  
  
'P-Peter...look...umm...let's get to the classroom...all-all right? We can err...talk about this later. Please?' Harry said now in a quiet voice himself and gave Peter as warm a look as he could muster. He still couldn't get over the fact this was Peter Pettigrew he was talking to, let alone the facts in what he was beginning to suspect about himself and Peter. Now wasn't the time to think on that though, not when they were supposed to be somewhere.  
  
Peter sniffed back a few stray tears and nodded, then wiped his eyes and got up, a small watery smile on his face. 'Cheers, Harry. You...err...won't tell anyone I umm...cried will you? They'd never let me live it down,' he said in a sad, lost sounding voice.  
  
Harry shook his head, and smiled now at Peter, a real honest-to-goodness smile. 'No, Peter, I won't. Now come on, we don't want to keep the umm...professor...waiting, right?' he said.  
  
'Right,' Peter said smiling back now at Harry. 'I wonder what it could be though, he never calls us to his classroom unless it's important.'  
  
'Guess we won't know till we get there eh?' Harry said, and let Peter lead the way to the classroom, just in case it was in a place other than Harry remembered.  
  
Thankfully though it wasn't, and Harry and Peter arrived a few moments later, all traces of the tears now long gone from Peter's face. As they peer inside the classroom Peter softly called out, 'Professor? Professor are you here?'  
  
A door opened in the back of the classroom and the man in question came out quickly, motioning the two boys to come inside the room with him. As they did so the door closed quietly behind them, and they watched as their 'professor' pulled his wand out and casted several spells upon the door, including a silencing charm.  
  
'There, now we won't be shan't be overheard, hopefully anyway. Castle has ears everywhere these days, can't trust anyone really. You don't know who's lurking and what side they're on I'm afraid. Now, please, sit,' he said softly, and indicated a sofa near the fireplace. 'Tea?'   
  
'No thank you, Professor, not tonight. What's wrong?' Peter asked, as if having tea with a professor, this particular professor, was nothing out of the 'ordinary'. Whatever 'ordinary' was anyway, since at this point Harry couldn't tell.  
  
The man poured himself some tea with and three, then stirred it slowly, as if debating what to tell the two boys in front of him. Finally he turned back to them and said in a low voice, 'I've received a message tonight from our...allies.'  
  
Peter raised his eyebrow, however he seemed completely to understand what was going on here, so Harry let him do the talking. 'And? What news do they bring?'  
  
'Another..._disturbance..._was felt earlier tonight. Our allies fear Maximus is up to something much..._bigger..._this time,' the man said thickly.  
  
Peter gasped slightly and looked at the man in shock. 'You don't mean...he's trying to...no...it's _can't _be!' he said in a panicked voice.  
  
'Umm...what exactly is Ma-my F-father...planning...do you think?' Harry asked now, seeing the look of terror on Peter's face.  
  
The man looked at Harry with a deep penetrating obsidian black-eyed gaze, as if he was attempting to draw out Harry's very soul. 'Our allies as you know have been detecting slight shifts in the magical patterns as of late in the area around your home at Salazar's Hollow. From our various spies and sources, it's clear Maximus has a goal in mind, a very dark and specific goal to be precise.'  
  
Harry shivered slightly at hearing that, it was so déjà vu of a similar conversation Harry had had not that long ago it seemed, the Summer after the Tri-Wizard Tournament in his fourth-year. He had returned to Hogwarts a week early to go over things with his own Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, about how they would proceed against Voldemort next. Unfortunately not much had come of it, and each year like clockwork he was attacked, and each year like clockwork he managed to buy another year sadly. However, turning back to the conversation at hand he said now, 'What...umm...what do you...they...think the goal is?'  
  
The man put his tea cup down and got up, pacing the red and gold rug in his quarters for a moment before sighing. 'I'm afraid, if our allies are correct, Maximus seeks to restore back his old 'Master'. If they succeed, the darkness we know now...will be heaven, I don't need to tell you that much.'  
  
Peter let out a startled gasp, and Harry just sat there trying to understand this all, again knots of suspicion in his stomach. 'Isn't there _anything _we can do to prevent that, Professor?' Peter asked in a small voice.  
  
The man sighed, shaking his head slightly before sitting back down almost dejectedly. 'If they do manage to revive him, there is no way we can counter-act such powerful dark magic. I've been doing what research I can, but our allies are not confident nor trained enough I'm afraid to go against such evil. We are but a small handful of half-breeds and some pure-bloods that have fallen from favour now. There isn't much we can do, Peter.'  
  
'No, that can't be right, Professor, there _must _be something we can do!' he said angrily.  
  
The man looked at Harry again, another deep soul searching look, and a sudden light came into his eyes as if he was seeing something that Harry nor Peter couldn't understand. 'Perhaps...there is...yes. I'll have to look into this, it could take time though, but if it's possible...' he said quietly, not taking his gaze off Harry.  
  
'Professor...err...do you think that my F-father _can _bring back this err...person?' Harry asked now, looking away from that intense gaze and down at the hands clasped in his lap.  
  
'Your father is a great and very powerful dark wizard, Harry, make no mistake. To bring back his old Master would be a triumph, and we fear he's more than capable of doing such a thing. Should he managed to do this, the two of them together would create havoc on a world already torn and abused. To restore A- ' the man began to say in a hard, cold voice.  
  
**_'No_**! Don't even say _his _name!' Peter said cutting him off and jumping up to pace the room himself.   
  
'You cannot defeat the fear by ignore it or wishing it wasn't there, Peter. By not saying his name you give _him _the power to rule over _you_,' the man said angrily now.  
  
'Don't you think I _know _that? That bastard killed my parents if you haven't forgotten...murdered them before my eyes whilst telling me 'this is what happens to traitors'! He destroyed everything I held dear, and you want me _not _to fear him? Not to be afraid of what would happen and what he would take away this time if he came back again? Professor...all I have left is this school...you...and...Harry. I couldn't bear it if he took that away from me too!' Peter cried out and sat back down on the sofa, and too Harry's surprise practically flung himself into Harry's arms, sobbing into Harry's chest. What surprised Harry even more than anything was that for some reason he subconsciously wrapped his arms tightly round Peter, as if it was something he did daily, and it didn't bother him in the least that this was his second most hated enemy crying on him.  
  
The man sighed and his anger abated, his black eyes growing softer and warmer. 'I understand how you feel, Peter, truly I do. He took away everything I held dear as well. My wife...my son...my home. All destroyed before my own eyes, whilst I was forced to pledge allegiance to him because my wife chose to fight against him, and I was too weak to stop him,' he said in a pained voice, closing his eyes a moment in grief. 'But I will _not _let him win this time, I cannot for their sake. If I am afraid to even say his name, then truly he _has _already won. Our allies _will _fight, make no mistake, even now they are keeping close watch on Salazar's Hollow, as we keep watch here on Maximus. My Gryffindor's will fight too when the time comes, though I dare say it will not turn out well, but they are willing to do so. Just as you and Harry have been willing to put aside your hatreds and join us,' the man said quietly.  
  
Peter sniffed back his tears, wiping away a few that were still spilling down his cheeks, though he still refused to leave Harry's protective embrace. 'I'm scared...' he said softly, and looked up at Harry through tear stained, saddened brown eyes. 'I'm sorry I'm so weak, Harry. I'm not deserving to hold the claim mark of a Potter,' he sighed deeply.  
  
'Err...no...I mean...yes...you are,' Harry replied quietly, and just sat there a moment holding Peter against him. 'You're strong, Peter...don't worry all right? I'm sure everything will work out,' he said and looked back over at his professor.   
  
'For all our sakes, Harry, I hope so. Now you better return to your commons before you're questioned. Come, Peter, let's get you cleaned up all right?' he said standing up, smiling gently at the boy.  
  
Peter nodded and sniffed back a few more tears, then giving Harry an apologetic glance he got up himself, following his professor out to another room which Harry assumed was the loo. Harry went over all of the evening's conversation quickly in his mind, shaking his head at this very odd turn of events. From the looks of it almost everything in this world seemed the reverse of everything in his own world. Slytherin's were still 'evil', but apparently 'evil' was the majority here. Gryffindors were half-breeds and assorted cast-off pure-bloods, and still 'good', but being 'good' was 'wrong' here.   
  
Then there was this 'claim mark' thing going on with Peter, something he really didn't want to think on. Whatever it was meant a lot to Peter, apparently it meant a lot in general, it was something he felt had to do with his name or being a 'dark wizard', though he wasn't sure yet. Somehow he had to find a way to reach Draco and the others and soon, and see what was going on over on their end, though he hadn't a clue how.   
  
Peter might be of some help, but even he seemed to fear Sirius and James most of the time, and Harry didn't blame him. Even he was a bit weary of his 'brother' and Sirius Black in this world, they obviously played for keeps here, and Harry had a strong suspicion using the 'Unforgivables' from his world, would be normal 'child's play' curses here. Not even worthy of a slap-on-the-wrist type curse, though it was something he didn't want to investigate at the moment.  
  
He didn't get much more time to think however when a few minutes later Peter and their professor came back into the room, Peter now cleaned up so that no one would suspect he'd been crying. Obviously that was a sign of weakness, but then even in Harry's world Draco had once told him that his own father, Lucius Malfoy, had considered it beneath a Slytherin, and a Malfoy, to cry. Clearly that rule applied in this world too, at least amongst Slytherins anyway.  
  
'If anyone asks we discussed your Transfiguration Essays, and of course, I will give you both full marks for them. Now go back to your common's, I'll be in touch,' he said quietly. Peter and Harry, who now had gotten up and moved towards the door to join the two of them, nodded at the man, and after the spells round the door were undone, quickly left the room. They heard the door close and lock behind them, and they silently headed out of the classroom back to the commons, each with things on their mind.  
  
Before they got back to the commons however Peter stopped and turned to Harry, a questioning look in his eyes. 'Harry?'  
  
'Yeah, Peter?' he replied distractedly.  
  
'You're not...angry...with me?' he asked softly, nervously even.  
  
Harry sighed, right now this was not something he really wanted to keep having to do, repeating assureities to Peter even if it was clear he needed them. 'No, Peter, I'm _not _angry with _you_. Now can we just get back to the common's already? I'm beat, it's been a _very _long day for me,' he said wearily, even yawning now to accentuate that comment.  
  
Peter grinned then and nodded, seeming to understand perfectly. 'Yeah, I bet. Just remember what I told you, Harry. If you are going to meet them...be careful all right? I know hardly anyone bothers with the library any more, but a few Slytherin's do on occasion, so you really need to find a better 'meeting spot'. I don't mind it if you meet them, really I don't, you know I have no real say in that, but I have to be careful too. I can't risk being seen with them, _you _can get away with it, but _I _can't. I would be expelled faster than you could say Quidditch if your father catches me with them now,' he sighed.   
  
'I'll be careful, Peter, I promise. Now let's go...boy I wish we could do a kitchen raid, for some reason I'm totally peckish now,' he grumbled and his stomach echoed that remark with a grumble of it's own.  
  
Peter looked at Harry and laughed then, a sweet tinkly kind of laugh of pure amusement. 'Honestly, Harry, you amaze me sometimes! We we get to our room I'll just ring for a house-elf to come, and we'll order something. It's not like anyone would ever deny 'Master Harry' a late night snack!' he teased.  
  
Harry stared at Peter and then oddly enough laughed himself. 'I _am _'Master Harry', aren't I. Well then, up for a late night snack, Peter?' he grinned slyly, suddenly feeling all too Slytherinish, like he was born to be that way.  
  
'Always!' Peter grinned back.  
  
'I just hope my...brother...and Sirius aren't waiting on us. I'm really in no mood now to deal with _them_,' Harry said with a scowl now.  
  
Peter snorted and shook his head. 'Knowing them, they're already down in their room having a go at it. You know how those two are like,' he said rolling his eyes.  
  
Harry stopped short, not sure he heard that correctly. 'Err...my...err...brother and...Sirius are umm..._t-t-together_?' he said in a strange voice.  
  
Peter gave Harry yet another one of those 'just-sprouted-another-few-heads' looks. 'You really _have _had a long day haven't you. James put his claim mark on Sirius forever ago, don't you remember? It was when you marked _me _that your father nearly killed you. Still don't know why you defied your father like that just to mark _me_ of all people, I didn't deserve it. Sirius is a true pure-blood, an honour to the Potter name. But me...well...I was surprised. Happy...but...surprised,' he said quietly, a faint blush creeping up his face.  
  
'Err...right. I umm...forgot about all that I guess for the moment. Tired remember? Barely thinking straight,' Harry said sheepishly, though yet another knot made it's way into his stomach, and thinking 'straight' was easier said then done.   
  
'Come on, Harry, let's get downstairs to our room. We've got food to order remember? I can really go for a gammon sarni and some crisps or something, what about you?' he said continuing to walk towards the common room as if nothing had happened.  
  
'Umm...food...right...I'll...ahh...think of something by the time we err...get to...err...our...room...' Harry said, a sinking feeling in his body at what the one little word...'our'...meant.  
  
As they walked into the commons Harry saw that Peter was right, and somewhere in the dungeons his 'brother' James and Sirius were doing something Harry didn't even want to remotely think on. As he now followed Peter towards a staircase off to the left, and started to descend to what appeared to be the very lowest level of the dungeon dorm rooms, a knot the size of a watermelon was brewing in him.   
  
As he got to 'their' room, his worst suspicions were confirmed. He now was beginning to understand part of what this 'claim mark' was. As he walked in the room as saw not two, but one large king sized bed against one wall, decked out in silver and green. Two black trunks with the initials H.P. and P.P. sat side by side at the foot of it, along with a wardrobe on each side of the bed against the walls, as well as two large oak desks stacked with school books and papers next to them, and a large bookshelf on another wall. The Slytherin banner was above the bed, along with another banner, one Harry somehow knew, though he didn't know how, belonged to the Potter family and the crest on it was his family's own crest.   
  
Peter didn't even pay attention to the fact Harry was just standing at the door taking all this in, he was busy puttering round the room instead. To Harry's dismay (and with slightly reddening cheeks) he watched as Peter started to undress and get into a pair of dear looking black silk pyjamas with his initials embroidered with silver thread on the pocket of the pyjamas top. Harry then realised that Peter was laying out another set of pyjamas, a matching set to the one's Peter was wearing, and it was blatant that they were Harry's as they had his own initials on them. Peter then went around putting things in order, straightening up the room and all, and Harry suddenly realised there was far more to this 'claim mark' then just sharing a room and other things. Peter, he realised now, was nothing more than Harry's 'servant' in a way, bound to him in some strange form to take care of Harry's needs..._all _of Harry's 'needs' apparently.   
  
Finally Peter noticed Harry wasn't moving at all, and looked up curiously. 'Harry? What's wrong?'  
  
Harry just looked at him, and for the first time he felt something akin to pity for Peter Pettigrew, and what he must have endured in this world. To be witness to such horrors as he had, and now to really be nothing more than a 'slave' to Harry, seemed almost too harsh, and Harry sighed. Walking over he put a hand on top of Peter's, noticing that Peter was subconsciously turning down the bed duvet, as if was something completely beneath Harry's status to do. 'Order what you want to eat, Peter all right? I'm not that hungry anymore, but you go 'head,' he said quietly.  
  
Peter looked up at Harry nervously and tensed up a moment, and Harry noted that this easy going treatment wasn't something Peter was accustomed to. 'You...you're sure, Harry?'  
  
Harry nodded, then gave Peter a small smile. 'Yeah, I'm sure. I'm going to the loo and take a quick shower, when I get back I _better _see some food up here,' he said firmly, having a distinct feeling that Peter would respond more to him being 'authoritative' then him being 'placating'.  
  
Peter smiled and nodded, relaxing a bit as he obviously was responding easier to that tactic from Harry. 'Sure, Harry. I'll order your favourites too, just in case you do get hungry again later.'  
  
Harry didn't say anything just nodded, then quickly glancing round noticed a door off to the side and prayed that it was indeed the loo. To his relief it was, and quickly shutting the door behind him he looked round in awe. Most likely it was the fact he was 'Master Harry' in this place that had earned him his own dorm with attached loo, and at the moment Harry was grateful, he needed this time to think. A hot shower to clear his mind he hoped would help, though sadly it brought back all too many memories of his one and only true love, Draco. The fact that the loo was in green and silver with black towels embroidered in silver thread with the personalised initials of H.P. and P.P., and boasted not just a shower but a separate Roman style tub big enough for at least two people, as well as a double sink didn't even register with him.   
  
As the hot water flowed over him he couldn't help but wonder how Draco was fairing in Gryffindor, and really just in general. Harry missed Draco terribly, he ached for him right about now all too much. All he wanted was to feel his lover's hands on his body, holding him, caressing him, kissing him until he was dizzy with the heat and desires that they shared between them. What Harry wanted most of all right now was to be in Draco's arms, making love to him, hearing Draco's passion-filled moans and tasting his sweet lips and even sweeter milky skin.  
  
To Harry's dismay as he turned off the water he realised all he would find when he was done would be a room filled with steam, and no Draco. Unfortunately, the fact that there was no lock on the door would also be his downfall, because as his still aroused mind and body was wishing this nightmare would end and he'd be back in Draco's arms, he never heard the door quietly open. It wasn't until he pushed aside the curtain that he realised someone was in the room with him, though without his glasses on he couldn't of course see who. Then he felt a large towel wrap around him and someone drying him off, and he knew exactly who it was now, and his cheeks burned red.  
  
'Umm...Peter?' he said cautiously.  
  
'Yes, Harry?'   
  
'I think I can do this for myself,' he said slowly, trying in vain to hide the fact his body was still aroused and in was more than blatant Peter must have seen that fact too.  
  
'But, Harry, I always help you after a shower or bath. You know you can't see without your glasses on. How are you going to manage by yourself?' Peter asked hesitantly.  
  
'Peter, I'll manage. Just hand me my glasses...and get out,' he said forcefully now, this was definitely _not _what he had wanted at the moment.  
  
Peter sighed but did as Harry asked, though he cleaned off the glasses of the steam before handing them to Harry. 'All right, Harry, here they are. I'll just...umm...wait outside then,' he said quietly, and Harry heard more than saw the door shut as Peter left the room.  
  
Harry groaned and let out a drawn breath, and shook his head. Putting his glasses on, he cleaned the mirror off of the steam and took a good look at himself before a tiny gasp escaped his lips. Peering closely into the mirror something was very wrong here, in fact, Harry had to look twice to just make sure he _wasn't _seeing things. It wasn't the fact that his glasses were now silver-rimmed like his 'brother's' were, no, that wasn't it at all. It was the fact that where for sixteen of his seventeen years of life there had been a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead...there was only tanned skin...scarless tanned skin at that.   
  
Then Harry remembered who they had been talking to earlier and he realised something. Of course there was no scar, because there had never been a Voldemort in this world. He never lost his parents to a madman, in this world he was a prince of the 'dark', who would dare attack him? No, in this world Voldemort didn't exist, but Tom Marvelo Riddle _did_. And he was currently a out-casted, pure-blooded Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor House. And of all things...this world's 'Tom Riddle'...was a 'good' guy, fighting for what was 'right', and a broken man who had lost more than he had ever gained.   
  
Harry sighed again, wishing desperately now for Draco to be there, even Remus or Severus would do at the moment...anything that would prove this was really just some sick, twisted dream. Slytherin 'dark prince' or not, he suddenly felt very lost, very lonely, and with a heartbreaking groan realised he was about to share a bed with none other then Peter Pettigrew. Nope, this night just could **_NOT _**get any worse he thought...then again with another sinking feeling in his stomach...it just might.   
  
Since Peter was expecting him to be 'his' Harry, holder of Peter 'claim mark', and Harry's 'servant'. That meant Peter was more than likely waiting for him out there...in bed...or would be soon enough...to 'satisfy' what Harry knew Peter had obviously seen as he'd gotten out of the shower. What bothered Harry was a sudden very odd thought that seemed to be running though his head that this night could very easily get far more worse then he ever imagined in his worst nightmares.   
  
What scared him was that his own betraying body parts were still somehow responding to the fact that Peter _had _seen him in his glory as it were. What was worse over all of that was that suddenly his mind lost focus of Draco, and a foggy, cloud-like state began to take over his senses as the steam of the shower began to lift. As it did, a part of something dark and hidden within Harry's soul began to stir, and suddenly he didn't seem to mind in the least what Peter had seen.   
  
A strange heat began to flow through Harry, his mind now sneered at him, and whispery tendrils of mist from a part of his clouding mind was now thinking that after all...Peter did belong to _him_...so why refuse what he, a Potter and one of the three 'Masters' of Hogwarts, had obviously claimed as his own? Harry didn't check his reflection again, instead he finished drying himself off, a strange dream-like look now in his eyes. Wrapping his towel round his waist he then headed back out to his room, thinking now that perhaps this night wasn't going to be so bad after all...  
  


**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_**

_September 30, 2002 1:32 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy _


	4. A Look Into The 'Other Side'

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

Disclaimer: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
Sorry yet again for the delay. One because I finally found out it wasn't the 'flu' getting me, but seasonal allergies again. Thankfully though I checked in with my allergist who figured it out and thanks to this wonderful 12 hour pill called Allegra I'm almost back up to par (almost...will take a few days on this stuff to really get it into my system sadly). And two because of err...a bit of a 'block'. Well, not a 'block' really, I know 'what' I wanted to write, I just had issues the past two days with 'who' I was going to use. Read the note below though to find out more, I've decided to just chuck it all out the window and go for broke here :gaze up:   
  
On other notes...Ye all have little faith! :gaze up: Have I ever ended a fic badly m'dears? NOPE, nor do I intend to now, don't worry so much, I adore my pairings way too much to let them end up in the arms of another...for too long anyway :whistles: (or will they at all?) :P   
  
Just for record, like in OMM, this chap is a 'pretimed' chap, meaning I've turned back the clock many hours from last chap. The other side of the coin so to speak in POV's (told ya I would KDay! :chuckles:) Just so you know what's 'going on' and not wondering why it's not the 'next day' or anything. :nods:  
  
  
**_Cheers to:_**  
  
**Cyan **(ah yes, Lucius heh. You'll find out where he is at soon promise...though he's not who you think he is nope! :grins:), **Temptress **(:hugs: doing me best to feel better, with Autumn approaching though should help a lot. :nod nod: Ah, as for 'Master Harry'...remember...nothing is as it seems...did he or didn't he really shag Peter now is the question? :giggles: No, that won't be in this chap sadly, tomorrow though most likely is the million dollar questions! :grins:), **Janai **(weird can be good...hopefully? :P), **Random **(ohh...sorry to give you a headache luv :sniffs: but yes, I will keep it up though! :giggles:), **Slone **(nope you haven't missed anything far as I know, just that our poor Harry sadly is the worst and quickest to be 'affected' by this odd world simply because he has denied a part of him for so long...and yes, the 'past events' will be revealed in some 'flashback' scenarios, trust me I won't just leave you out in the cold on how they got together! :grins:)  
  
**Shinzo **(good job you luv you're catching on! :evil grin: This world isn't just a 'mirror' of the 'people', 'events' and 'situations'...but of the very thing you spoke of. Bravo by picking that up! Applauds!), **Anni **(ah luv, that site's in Russian, though I can translate it it's giving me the old 'access denied' junk I'm afraid :sigh: Can you maybe email me the pix directly? No, I won't keep you hanging on the other fics either, promise. The flu is letting up so hopefully I can get back to working finishing out the others these next few weeks. Will do me best!), **Amissa **(I grant your wish this chap luv! :chuckles:), **Toyo Lady Geuna, Fanny Chan, Myr, MistyK., Nagini  
  
Q **(ahh...yes, the age old 'what does love mean' eh? Don't you worry, love means more than you think it will! Sadly though evil has a name...and in this case it happens to be 'Potter' :chuckles: Again though, have faith!), **Shades **(the only other person who actually did say something about You-Know-Who is who? :grins:...ohh you're good at reading me luv! :tickles: You know it's always H/D, and SS/RL for me, only I do adore adding in sometimes just a few 'road bumps' along the way for my favourite peoples :giggles:), and **KDay2 **(your wish is also my command luv!)  
  
As always, also cheers to me readers as well! :hugs:  
  
  
**One other important note here**. Due to the fact that we know virtually nothing about the days of the MWPP, I have sadly run out of pure 'canon' names for 'add-ins'. Therefore (and please don't kill me for this :sigh:) I am forced into using skewed time-lines for some of the canon characters. Yes I know the Weasley's were never at Hogwarts during the MWPP days, I know Lucius wasn't either (not that he is now either, I have something else in mind for that man heh!), we know Bertha Jorkins was a few years above the MWPP, but other than that we know very little. Therefore I'm taking a few err...'liberties' so don't be surprised at some of the names you will see throughout the fic all right? Figured I'd get that out of the way before anyone yells at me saying 'you know that's not possible!' :sighs: Anyway onward!  
  


**_  
~~Chapter Four: A Look Into The 'Other Side'~~_**

  
Severus and Draco quickly caught up to Remus who was quietly conversing with Frank Longbottom, though they chose not to listen in at the moment. Whatever was going on here was just still a bit much for them both, and right now conversation wasn't exactly what they wanted to embroil themselves into. They both had a funny feeling though these few moments of 'peace' wouldn't last long however, and they were sadly right.  
  
As Frank approached a large portrait of a man that could only be Godric Gryffindor he said the password, '_Bellus Impero_' to open the portrait so they could enter. As the three did so however, all they could do was just stare round them in shock and surprise. They expected things to be different, but they were in no way, shape or form prepared for what they were now seeing before them. If things hadn't been bad moments ago, they certainly had just taken a turn for the worse.  
  
The once proud house of Gryffindor was nothing more than a shambles, deteriorated to practically nothing. The commons that used to be resplendent in golds and reds, comfy and cozy, was barely a shell. Gone were the comfortable, warm sofas and overstuffed high-backed chairs. Hard black mesh chairs took their place, and only one sofa in faded gold and red, now tattered, torn and mice eaten sat near the fireplace, empty at the moment. The golden candelabras and scones that had thrown soft light into the room were gone, replaced by only a few candle-lit lamps of smoky dull grey.   
  
The beautiful rugs that you could walk barefoot on and nearly sink into were gone, only hard, cold, grey flagstone in it's place. The portraits of Merlin, Agrippa, the Druidess Cliodna, Ptolemy, and the other 'good' wizards and witches of the ages no longer adorned the walls. The once elaborate gold and red marbled fireplace that used to give off roaring flames of heat and comfort, now was a normal looking small grey stone fireplace without even a mantle above it, and barely a fire blazed there at all.   
  
Above the fireplace however, hung one single portrait. A small collective gasp came from the group of three as they looked into the eyes of someone they knew all too well, yet they wondered how it was possible. Only a small plaque written in golden script told them who they were seeing wasn't the person 'they' knew, and reading the name they wondered how the person in the portrait was related to the person they did know.  
  
Frank however was oblivious to the three as they looked round, instead he went over to a group of four people who were at a long table, obviously doing 'homework' from the looks of it. Frank looked at something one of the girls had written and shook his head, then looked back up at the trio, noticing finally that they were just standing there dazed. 'What's with you guys tonight huh? Honestly, we've got homework to do, stop standing there like someone's died or something will you and come help us with the potion's assignment, before we all end up in detention again!' he said wearily.  
  
'Let me guess, they was with tha' bastard again, weren' they,' a voice drawled now from a chair that was over in one of the corners. Somehow they hadn't noticed the person right off, and they could only stare at the boy now as he got up and walked into the dull lighting of the room.   
  
'Lay off them Aiden, even if they were it doesn't matter. Are you going to help us with the homework tonight or not?' Frank said throwing Aiden a glare.  
  
'Matter's ta _me_, Frank. Them runnin' round wit' tha' good-fer-nothin' snake sullies th' good name o' Gryffindor. Don' _you _think tha's importan'?' Aiden said glaring back at Frank.  
  
'Not much more _can _sully the name these days, Aiden, we all know that,' Frank said heatedly. 'Besides, I found them in the library, do you really think someone like _him _would go to a place like that? Honestly, you're thinking stupidly, I doubt they were with _him _at all.'  
  
'Oh let them be for Godric's sake. It doesn't matter if they were or weren't with that prat earlier, they aren't _now_. Get over it, Aiden, you're just jealous because he took Peter away from us,' a new voice said coolly from the stairway leading to the boy's dorms.   
  
Aiden threw a very nasty look at the newcomer then snorted. 'Now why would I have ta be jealous abou' tha' eh, Billy? Pete _wanted _ta go runnin' off ta tha' prat. But if they wan' ta go off an' get themselves detention fer hangin' round tha' snake, tha' becomes _our _problem. No point gettin' into trouble fer these ungrateful bastards,' he said huffily then went back to sit down in the chair he had previously occupied.  
  
The freckle-faced lad with long red hair that was tied back that had spoken earlier gave Aiden a level gaze dripping with ice, and shook his head slowly. 'You've got some serious issues, Aiden Macnair. Peter got tapped, that wasn't _his _choice and you know it. To refuse the claim mark was asking for his death,' the boy said coldly. He then turned to look at Draco, a look of pity now in his eyes. 'She's in a right snit with you going off like that though. You might want to go say something to her before she - '   
  
'**_DRACO WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?_**' a new voice called out angrily, a voice that made everyone in the room wince, even the three newcomers. Two of them especially as they recognised the voice in question, and both slightly groaned at what they had a good feeling was coming up next.  
  
'Now ya've done it,' Aiden said smirking at Draco.  
  
'Done what?' Draco asked, but before he could get another word in he was decked out on the floor. Someone was also now hovering over him with a very irate expression on their face. 'What the _hell_?' he muttered and rubbed his jaw where he'd been smacked.  
  
'Don't you give me that, Draco Meritus Malfoy! I wait and wait and wait and all you can say is _that_? Were you with _him _again? If you were so help me - ' the person began to say threateningly but was cut off by Frank.  
  
'Calm down, Lily! He _wasn't _with him all right? He was in the library with Remus and Severus, I found them there myself,' Frank said stepping in and picking up a very confused Draco from the floor, as well as trying to hold Lily at bay. 'Honestly, why everyone is jumping to conclusions tonight is beyond me,' he said in exasperation, then turned to Draco. 'All right, mate?'  
  
Draco nodded slowly and checked again to make sure he wasn't bleeding or anything, grateful that apparently all the girl had done was just slap him. It felt worse than it probably was though and he was more than wondering what the hell was going on here. The girl before him looked familiar, and from the looks on Remus and Severus's faces it was obvious to him now who she was. Those flashing angry green eyes could only belong to one person...Lily Potter...or rather Lily Evans at least at this point in time, and in this world. Stepping back a few paces so he wouldn't be in reach of the woman he asked, 'What did I do?'  
  
Lily looked at him like he'd just broken every rule that Hogwarts had and threw her hands up in disgust. 'Now you act like you don't even know what you did? Just great, Draco, really great!' she said completely agitated.  
  
Draco threw Remus and Severus a pleading 'please-to-Merlin-help-me-out-here' look and glanced back at Lily. Remus luckily understood completely, and knowing Lily Evans's temper better than anyone stepped in gratefully. 'Err, we lost track of time, Lily, sorry about that. I'm sure Draco didn't mean to ah...do anything to get you so angry,' he said quietly.  
  
Lily turned and glared at Remus and Severus for a moment, but thankfully her anger abated and she did calm down with a sigh and a shake of her head. 'What am I going to do with you two huh? You _know _that Drake and I study every night right before curfew, so why do you insist on keeping him all to yourselves for so long?' she said petulantly.   
  
'Err...bad luck?' Remus said with a slight grin, hoping it would ease the tensions in the room. By now everyone in the common's was watching this scene, and Remus was trying in vain to figure out himself what was going on here, and why Draco was involved.  
  
'Hold up here, did you just call me Drake?' Draco asked in a strange voice as he finally began catching up to things, remembering now what Lily had called him earlier. 'Why are you calling me..._that_?'  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and then sighed exasperatingly. 'Maybe we _have _been studying too hard, Drake, you're going a bit mental I think these days. I guess I shouldn't complain though, I mean just because you're my fianceé doesn't mean I get to monopolise you all day long eh? You are entitled to hang out with your two best friends now and then,' she said giving Remus and Severus a grin now. 'Just as long as you two keep him out of trouble that is, though I know I'm asking for a miracle.'   
  
Draco was too stunned at what he had just heard to even dare respond to that. For that matter Remus and Severus were pretty much close to being stunned themselves. However, Severus thankfully managed to be least affected over the others and said in an odd voice, 'Fianceé...err...right. Miracle...out of trouble...sounds...good...yes...'  
  
'You know...I think I'm beat...let's ahh...let's get some sleep...right mates?' Remus said recovering a bit himself finally, and giving Draco and Severus strange glances.  
  
'Sleep...yes...sounds...umm...good...right...' Draco repeated, still half stunned.  
  
'Yes, sleep does...err...sound good...to me too...Lu-Remus,' Severus said slowly with a nod towards Remus and Draco.  
  
'Sleep? But...but, Severus...we need help on the potions essays!' Frank pouted now.  
  
'Sleep ha! You three are just up to more plotting if I know you,' Lily said with a huff and gave Draco a knowing glance. 'Oh fine, I managed to get _our _work done for tomorrow anyway, and I should know trying to keep you three apart if you _are _planning something won't happen. Don't worry, I'll help them out you three go on and get it over with. Just don't fall asleep on their floor again, Draco, I don't want to have to have Remus or Severus carry you back to our room in the middle of the bleeding night for the third time this week,' Lily said in a huff. With saying that she leaned over and kissed Draco full on the lips to his utter horror, then went over and sat down at the table where Frank and the others were at.  
  
Remus didn't even think twice anymore, instead he just grabbed Severus and Draco's hands, and with a quick apology to Frank for ducking out on him and the others nearly ran with the other two up towards where he hoped his dorm room would be. To his relief at least that hadn't changed, the seventh-year boys dorm was right where it always had been, though when he got there again things were different. Only four beds were in the room, not five. Making a quick check round for a trunk or anything that would indicate his own bed he finally found the one furthest from the door and right next to the window to be his. He practically threw the still dazed Draco and Severus onto his bed, shut the threadbare red and gold curtains round them, put up a silencing spell and finally let out a very long breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.  
  
No one said anything for a few moments, just looked at each other, none of them was sure even what to say. Finally Draco recovered himself and said in a strange voice, 'What. The. Fuck.'  
  
Severus finally came out of his own daze and snorted at Draco. 'Well that certainly sums things up quite nicely, Mr. Malfoy,' he said with a sniff. 'Wherever did you manage to learn such _colourful _language.'  
  
'Oh shut up, Severus. Personally I think he has every right to say what he did, and I'm inclined to agree,' Remus said glaring at Severus. 'This is definitely something out of the ordinary.'  
  
'_Out of the bloody ordinary_? The woman _kissed _me!' Draco said shuddering now and wiping his mouth as if he was trying to erase what had happened. '_She. Kissed. Me_!'   
  
'We get the point, Draco,' Severus said lazily. 'Though I do believe that _is _something fianceés do with each other,' he drawled now as if he was enjoying the pain Draco seemed to be in.  
  
'Severus,' Remus said warningly and glared again at him, 'this _isn't _funny. Something is definitely not right with this. Lily as Draco's intended? Where is James then or is he even here at all?' he mused thoughtfully.  
  
'Probably with Harry in Slytherin,' Draco said with a deep sigh. 'Tell me...she did _not _just say...'_our_' room...did she?' he said in a small voice, shivering slightly at even the thought.  
  
'I believe she did, yes,' Severus said, and actually gave Draco a look of pity. 'I dare say that does explain the lack of five beds in this room as well.'  
  
'This is _not _happening. I do _not _sleep with _women_, especially when...eww...she's Harry's _mum_! **_NO WAY_** am I sleeping with _her_! I can't! I love _Harry_!' Draco said acting like a five year old.  
  
'Draco calm down, pouting will not get you anywhere,' Remus said rubbing his temples now, a deep grimace on his face. 'We have no choice at the moment but to play along as it were with whatever is going on here. If you have to sleep in Lily's room or rather 'your' room, then you have to. I'm sure however you can manage to come up with some excuse to err...fend her off. You're a Slytherin, cunningness is supposed to be one of your strong points.'  
  
'Obviously _you _seem to have forgotten the fact that Potter and Evans were shagging like rabbits in their seventh-year, Lupin?' Severus smirked causing Draco to groan and flop back against the bed in total defeat.  
  
'Err...well...yes...err...no I mean...I hadn't forgotten that ahh..._detail_, Severus, thank you. However I'm sure Draco is resourceful enough to figure out _something _on his own,' Remus said curtly. There was no way he was going to admit it, but the thought of anything connected to shagging anyone at the moment with his own refound youthful seventeen year old hormones was not helping matters at all. Not when both Draco and Severus were currently sitting on his bed, and both were smelling and looking all too good to the werewolf's suddenly hyped up instincts.  
  
The news about Lily and James Potter however only made Draco groan in agony this time, and caused him to sit back up with a heavy sigh. 'Alright, fine, I'll do what _I _have to, but under extreme protest mind you. It's bad enough I have to be a _Gryffindor_, but now I have to fight off my boyfriend's own lust-filled mum. Can this day get _worse_?' he muttered.  
  
'Usually I find that things do tend get worse before they get better, Draco,' Remus said with a slight chuckle. 'Right then, maybe we _should _do some interacting after all, see what's what. We're not going to learn anything sitting up here that's for sure.'  
  
'I'm not so sure I want to know 'what's what' as you put it, Lupin,' Severus grumbled. 'I know if we go back down there I'll get roped into helping those idiotic Gryffindors into doing that potion's assignment.'  
  
'Don't forget that _you _are one of those 'idiotic Gryffindors' yourself now, Severus. Besides, we can't ask Draco to deal with things if we're not willing to do so ourselves. We can't make things appear too far out of the 'ordinary' right now till we know what's going on,' Remus said in cold tone of voice.   
  
'There's been nothing _ordinary _about _any _of this since we got here. Wherever 'here' is,' Severus replied.  
  
Remus muttered something under his breath and rubbed his temples again, feeling a huge migraine coming on, as well as something else he couldn't quite put his finger on just yet. 'Fine, let's just forget about going back downstairs. I'm not in the mood anymore to deal with those 'strangers' down there. Anymore than I am in wanting to deal with the both of you at the moment,' he said testily.  
  
Draco looked at Remus oddly, he'd only seen his professor act so tense and moody like this right before the full moon, and that had been a couple nights ago last he remembered. 'Are you all right, pro-err...Remus?' he asked now concerned.  
  
'No I'm not all right!' Remus snapped at Draco, his eyes blazing amber yellow for a moment causing Draco to actually recoil. Closing them he shivered slightly and sighed before reopening his eyes again, which thankfully were back to their normal golden brown. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, I don't know what's come over me all of a sudden,' he said quietly now.  
  
Severus however was watching Remus and just by sheer chance happened to glance through a small slit in the curtains, and saw something that made him realize exactly what was going on. 'Draco I think you better get going to your room. I need to talk to Lupin alone. Most likely Lily's dorm, or rather your dorm, is where the Gryffindor Prefect rooms are. I assume you do remember the way to them?' he said in a gruff tone of voice.  
  
Draco stared at Remus a few moments longer, then turned to Severus with a nod. 'Err...sure, I remember. Harry had those dorms last year when he was a Prefect. You sure there isn't anything I can do?' he asked hesitantly before getting off the bed.  
  
Remus shook his head. 'No, thank you, Draco. I'll be fine,' he said smiling weakly at the other boy.  
  
'All right then, I'll see you in the morning...if I survive the night that is. Somehow though we have got to find a way to get to Harry, and soon. I don't know why but...' he said trailing off with a glazed look in his eyes.  
  
'But?' Severus asked giving Draco an odd look.  
  
Draco didn't respond for a moment then suddenly he shivered slightly, shaking his head. 'I just get a bad feeling something's going on and I don't like it. That's all. Call it intuition or whatever you want, but I know something isn't right with him,' he said quietly, though there was a hard tone in his voice.  
  
Severus nodded. 'I'll take your word for it. Not that I would know about things like this never having...er...quite...had someone I cared for or that cared for me...in such a manner,' he said looking at Remus oddly, who surprisingly had turned to meet his own eyes. Somehow he found he couldn't pull his gaze away, though he did manage to finish what he was saying. 'But I'm told that when two people truly care for each other they just seem to...know...when the other needs them.'  
  
'Yes, I've...heard something like that myself,' Remus said softly, his gaze still lingering on Severus's.  
  
Draco actually noticed their stares at each other and the fact that they weren't even looking at him anymore led him to a few conclusions of his own. 'Well...err...I'll just be going than shall I?' he said, and having a good feeling he was already forgotten slipped off Remus's bed and out of the dorms, the nagging feeling still there though that Harry was in trouble. Or if it wasn't trouble, it was something very much like it.  
  
Neither Severus nor Remus even heard him leave, nor for some reason could they take their gaze off each other yet. For a few more minutes neither said anything, just stared at each other until finally Severus said in a soft voice, 'It's the moon isn't it. She's calling you again.'  
  
Remus shuddered slightly and sighed, breaking the gaze and closing his eyes as if he was in pain. 'Yes. Not only was it a full moon a few days ago in _our _world...but it will be again in a few days _here_. Two days to be exact. Oh Merlin, Severus...what am I going to do? I doubt there is any Wolfsbane Potions here, not if we're back during our younger days.'  
  
Severus thought on that and nodded. 'Agreed, the potion was by no means available back then. However, I don't think you will have to worry as much as you think you will,' he said.  
  
Remus reopened his eyes and gazed back at Severus, worry, fear and questions in his once again amber yellowed eyes. 'What do you mean?'  
  
'I'm surprised _you _didn't notice, Lupin,' Severus said with a bit of his usual impatience now.  
  
'Notice what?' Remus replied back semi-defiantly.  
  
'The fact that _you _are not the _only _werewolf here, that's what,' Severus said off-handedly.  
  
Remus blinked, then blinked again, letting that information register. He then opened the curtains a bit, climbed off the bed and went to the doorway that led back to the commons and stood there for a moment, sniffing slightly. He tensed at what he was detecting then walked back over to the bed and pulled the curtain back round, nodding slowly. 'You're right. I smell traces of at least two others here. I can't tell who they are though unless I'm closer to them. _You _knew?' he asked in surprise now and gazed back at Severus.  
  
Severus snorted. 'Of course _I _knew, I sensed them right away, the moment we walked into the commons. I knew what _you _were back then didn't I? For someone who teaches what you do, and being a dark creature yourself, don't tell me what _I _am wasn't covered in the curriculum?' he said smirking slightly.  
  
'Of course they are, don't be daft. I just...that is...only know what I've err...I mean I've never had the distinct pleasure of meeting one face to face to get proper information, that's all,' Remus snapped.  
  
'Well now you have. Any questions for me oh mighty Professor of the Dark Arts? Oh forgive me, I correct myself. That should be Professor of Defence _Against _the Dark Arts,' Severus said in a low, silky voice that also held a mocking tone in it.  
  
Remus glared at Severus a moment, then surprisingly shook his head and chuckled. 'You amaze me sometimes, Severus. All these years you've hated me because of what _I _am, don't you think that's the pot calling the cauldron black?'   
  
'And that's exactly _who _I had my hatred for. I thought we covered this already, Lupin,' Severus said leaning back lazily against one of the posts of the bed. 'Or are we suddenly playing Alzheimer's Roulette?'  
  
Now Remus did laugh full out. 'Touché. I suppose we both had our hatred of Sirius for what it's worth, though I chose not to fully keep that hatred. Distance perhaps, I doubt we'll ever have the friendship we once had, but that's what happens when someone breaks your heart,' he said, then a look of fear came into his eyes as he realised what he had said. 'Err...that is...'  
  
'Black broke your heart?' Severus said jumping in before Remus could even finish, giving Remus an intense black-eyed gaze.  
  
Remus almost couldn't tear himself from that deep gaze but somehow managed to, slightly blushing and shaking his head. 'No...not in the way you _think _he did. Let's drop this, I don't want to talk about it,' he muttered.  
  
'You loved him,' Severus said quietly.  
  
'I said I _don't _want to talk about it, Severus. _Drop it_,' Remus said in a hard voice through gritted teeth.   
  
Severus didn't say anymore, but somehow he felt like a part of him got scoured away, though what part he wasn't sure. He had a funny feeling though it was in the spot where he once had a beating organ called a heart, and he wondered why that particular organ had constricted like someone had squeezed it when Remus had refused to answer. Though the inference was clear, Remus had loved Sirius, at least that's the way it looked to him. 'Very well, I'll not say more on that. However, as for the full moon, I dare say you will have time to figure out who the others are, and what is to be done for you when the moon is full again.'  
  
Remus nodded slowly, exhaling a deep breath. 'I'm sure I will.' Suddenly something else came to him and he looked up at Severus almost startled. 'What about you?'  
  
'What about me?' Severus replied in surprise.  
  
'I haven't sensed any others like you here, what will _you _do? How have you managed to hide it all these years, Severus? How is it you're able to do what you do? And I know you sleep at nights...how?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
'You've been reading too many textbooks, Lupin. Not everything you read is _correct_.' Severus snorted. 'But as it happens, I manage to do some of the 'things' I do through a concoction of my own creation. It allows me certain 'advantages' over what I am, and helps me to be able to function normally, or as close to 'normal' as one of my kind can get. Though there are some drawbacks to using the potion that even I have not be able to find ways round yet,' he said with a sigh now.  
  
'Such as?'  
  
'For starters my skin, my hair and my teeth looking as they do. They are a few things the potion affects, but like you, the potion helps me function so I am more than willing to suffer through it,' he said quietly.  
  
For some odd reason Remus couldn't figure out he reached out and touched Severus's hair, pulling back in surprise at what he felt. 'How?'  
  
Severus flinched, though he understood what was being asked and grinned. 'Another of my own concoctions. I can do nothing about the 'look' the potion gives, but I can damn well control how it 'feels'. You never really got a chance to see my hair before I got turned as it happened within the first month of our first-year. All anyone remembers is how it looks now, but before that happened to me it was actually nice looking. It was soft like it is now, nor was it oily and greasy looking,' he said almost sadly.  
  
'You are certainly full of surprises, Severus, give you that. You know...it's kind of funny...' Remus mused and gazed back at Severus strangely.  
  
Severus raised an eyebrow in question. 'What is funny, Lupin?'  
  
'How much in common we really have. Two souls doomed to a life of torment, doomed to forever be miserable and hated for what we are. Hiding behind our masks oh so well, never allowing anyone to get close enough to us so we won't be hurt again. Drowning in the darkness that neither of us wanted nor asked for. Our chances for happiness taken from us before we even knew what it could be like,' Remus said quietly, sadly even.  
  
'You really believe that?' Severus asked.  
  
Remus thought on that a moment then shrugged. 'Once bitten twice shy, Severus, no pun intended on either part,' he said with a slight grin. 'But sometimes I think...yeah...happiness has no place with like us. I've come to realize that it's better to stop feeling, to keep pretending rather then to keep getting hurt. I once had thought differently...long ago now. I used to sit at the windowsill of the dorm room and wish on those shooting stars. I even had grand dreams of my lifemate, what our life could have been like together...but...'  
  
'But?' Severus asked.  
  
'But...he and I were never meant to be it seems,' Remus replied softly and gazed down at the hands he'd unconsciously clasped in his lap.   
  
'If it's one thing I have learned over the years, Lupin, is that you should never give up hope. Sometimes...it's out there when you least expect it,' Severus said.  
  
Remus looked up in surprise at Severus, not even allowing himself the hope he wanted to read into that comment. 'That's a strange thing to say coming from you, Severus Snape. Do _you _really think that?'  
  
Severus nodded and before he could stop himself he reached out and put a hand on Remus's arm. 'I do. Perhaps...not for myself anymore admittedly, but for others yes, there is always hope.'  
  
'Why not for yourself?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
Severus shook his head sadly. 'Because I am a lost cause, Remus Lupin. Any hope I had died long ago when I sold my soul for a few moments of dark-sided fame and fortune. It would take more than a few miracles to redeem that darkness now, and I'm getting far too old to think it possible these days.'  
  
Remus looked at Severus a moment, then laughed. 'Ah, then it seems that you have a problem, Severus,' he said mischievously.  
  
'Oh? And what problem would that be, Lupin?' Severus asked back, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.  
  
'You _aren't _'too old' anymore, are you. Not unless seventeen is old!' Remus laughed.  
  
Severus stared at Remus a moment dazed, then suddenly laughed himself. 'Well, so I am! Perhaps...there might just be hope for me after all hmm?' he said grinning back at Remus, aware that he still hadn't move his hand away from Remus's arm, nor had Remus moved it away yet.  
  
Remus nodded however and smiled at Severus. 'After all, _you're _the one who just said not to give up hope,' he said, then something else came to his mind and he frowned a moment. 'What are _you _going to do though about your situation, Severus? You can't make your potions here, and I dare say with you being probably the only one of your kind here it's going to be difficult without someone to provide help for you.'  
  
Severus tightened his grasp on Remus's arm, more in fear now than anything else. 'I...I don't know,' he said worriedly. 'The important one of the two potions manages to keep the need for it sedated for round two weeks at a time. Without it though...I don't know what I will do honestly.'  
  
'Must you have...that...every day to survive? Without the potion I mean?' Remus asked concerned.  
  
Severus shook his head. 'Again, that's more textbook and Muggle film myths than facts. We don't need it everyday, sometimes we can go weeks or months. Depends on situations really. For me, without the potion, I have found that I do have the need much more often because of...err...circumstances,' he said.  
  
'Such as?'  
  
Severus turned his gaze away from Remus, pulling his hand away quickly as well otherwise he wasn't sure he could control himself, then mumbled something under his breath.  
  
'Sorry, but I didn't catch that. What did you say?' Remus asked puzzled now.  
  
'I...err...that is...oh hell. Circumstances such as...' Severus said drawing in a breath and exhaling slowly, still not daring to look Remus in the eyes. 'The need is much stronger during _hormonal _changes, Lupin. Even the very scent of _that _in the air can cause reactions. I had the potion during my own changes, but from unfortunate experience...without the potion...it's...that is...oh Merlin this _isn't _happening...,' he groaned.  
  
Remus did some quick thinking on that and Severus's reaction, then suddenly he understood. 'In other words...your being a teenager again...is only going to heighten the need for that...as well as...er...'other' things?' he said, and to his dismay and embarrassment a blush slowly crept up his neck and face.  
  
Severus sighed deeply and nodded, still not daring to look Remus in the eyes. 'Exactly. If I don't get the potion soon...I'll need...need someone to...ah...help...err...oh fuck you know what I'll need!' he muttered crossly.  
  
'That and more eh?' Remus chuckled now at Severus's usage of words.  
  
'This is _not _a joke, Lupin! Just as the moon calls _you_, certain 'things' call _me_. It doesn't have to be just my _own _changes either, don't you get it? The more I'm around teenage hormones in general, the more pheromones I breath in, the worse it will get. The potion controls me so I don't react to them constantly as an adult, but as a teenager again...I can't even _imagine _what life is going to be like without it!' he said heatedly. 'Dammit! You don't have any clue what this means!'   
  
'Stop yelling at me and tell me then. All I know is 'textbook' material, Severus. Tell me what it means,' Remus urged.  
  
Severus looked back up at Remus, an odd reddish tinge now in his eyes. 'It means, Lupin, that I must find a 'servant' to replace what the potion does for me. Otherwise the need will become so bad that _no one_ would be safe,' he said in a detached voice.  
  
'And if you did manage to find a pin cushion? What then?' Remus asked.  
  
'If I can do that...the need for...for the 'other' thing...lessens. Once the need is driven down I can live on my own 'vices' to provide the rest. I have for this long anyway,' he muttered.  
  
Remus grinned at that. 'You're not the only one in that area,' he said dryly now.  
  
Severus stared at Remus full on in shock, he hadn't expected to hear that coming from someone like the man in front of him. 'Has every man in London gone blind suddenly?' he said before he could stop himself.  
  
Now it was Remus's turn to stare at Severus full on, and this time his blush was all too apparent. 'Err...what?'  
  
'Has every man in London gone blind?' Severus demanded.  
  
'Severus...I haven't exactly been err...'dating' the last oh...twenty years or so? Do you really think I wanted to after - ' he began to say but cut himself off quickly and looked away blushing even harder.  
  
'After what?' Severus said sharply.  
  
'N-nothing, after nothing, it doesn't matter. In answer, no, not every man in London is blind, Severus. I have on more than one occasion been err...'propositioned', only to politely turn them away,' Remus said quietly.  
  
'Why on earth would you do a thing like that?' Severus asked puzzled.  
  
'Seems I'm not the only one who hasn't 'read up' on their dark creatures, Severus,' Remus said after a moment and looked Severus back in the eyes.  
  
'Oh? Tell me what I've managed to miss then,' Severus replied in a low voice.  
  
Remus smiled though it was more a sad smile than anything else. 'I never wanted a 'fly by night' relationship. The truth is, Sirius was the only one I've ever been with, and after what happened with him, after what he did to me...I didn't want to go through that pain again.'  
  
That was something Severus wasn't expecting to hear at all. He knew he'd seduced Sirius away from Remus, but he never thought Remus wouldn't move on at some point. Something nagged at him though, something just wasn't right in the statement he'd just heard from Remus. 'You didn't answer the question though, Lupin. What is it I'm missing from my knowledge of werewolves?'  
  
'You really want to know?' Remus asked quietly, giving Severus a searching look.  
  
'I asked didn't I?' Severus said scowling slightly.  
  
Remus nodded, though he didn't turn his gaze away. 'Very well, I'll tell you. Most think that the first person a werewolf has sex with...that's that. That once we mate the first time it's forever, that's bullshite, we don't. I could have had casual, meaningless sex with a hundred men after Sirius, I didn't want to. When a werewolf does choose their lifemate and marks them as their own...it's a _mutual _choice, not a _forced _one. It's irreversible as well, once placed it cannot be removed, the bond never fades. Do you really think I wanted to spend the rest of my life with someone who would eventually hate me for being what I am?' he said in a hard voice then sighed. 'I never wanted Sirius as a lifemate, Severus, nor did I even want sex from him for that matter. It just sort of happened.'  
  
'How can something like sex 'just happen'?' Severus asked skeptically.  
  
Remus groaned and flopped back against the pillows, not really wanting to say this but having little choice as he'd already said more than he had intended. 'Fact is, Severus, you never took Sirius away from me, I never had him to begin with. We only had sex, and I certainly wouldn't call it anything else because to make love you need the feeling of 'love' in there somewhere...anyway...we only had sex...once, and I was drunk and barely even remember it. It was the night of the sixth-year Yule Ball. He spiked my punch and I didn't know it, werewolves don't take to alcohol well you know...and I got drunk all too quickly. When I woke up the next morning I was naked and in Sirius's bed, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.'  
  
'What? But...the way you two acted round each other, always hanging on each other, holding each other...' Severus said in a strange tone of voice.  
  
'A bleeding _act_, Severus, nothing more. I found out in the end he was trying to trying to get someone _else_ jealous, and used _me _to do it. It turned out that his little scheme worked...all too well at that, but not in the way things were supposed to be,' he said with a growl.  
  
Severus though on that for a moment, then gazed sharply at Remus. 'Are you saying...it was..._me_ he wanted to get jealous? Why?'   
  
Remus sighed. 'My biggest problem was that I confided in him something I shouldn't have and it backfired...on me. He said he would help me with something, but I didn't know what he was really up to until it was too late. In the end it was just another betrayal by him, and I'm the one who suffered because of my own stupidity,' he said angrily. 'It doesn't matter anymore anyway, what's done is done, can't go back and change it.'  
  
'But if you could?' Severus asked curiously.  
  
Remus sat back up and looked at Severus oddly a moment, then shook his head again sadly. 'I can't, so there's no use hoping to do so, Severus. Right now, _you _have to decide what you're going to do about _your _situation, that's a bit more important I'd wager then something from the long dead past.'  
  
Severus scowled, not wanting to be reminded of that strain of conversation, but knew Remus was right. He was going to have do something and quickly, he could already feel the potion he'd taken that morning slipping away from him surprisingly. Though the dose was usually a twenty-four hour cycle, at the moment in this younger body and with what was in the air, along with the topic of conversation, it was like he'd taken the potion days ago rather then just that morning.   
  
'I don't know if anyone here knows what I am, though they did know about you and Draco I gather. If they don't...it could mean a lot of trouble. If they do...then someone should have presented themselves to me by now as my err...servant. Since no one has however - ' Severus trailed off with a slight frown.  
  
'Then most likely no one is,' Remus finished quietly. 'Well, you have a problem then. Why not just take anyone downstairs at random? Better than suffering.'  
  
'You really don't know more than what you've read in those textbooks and the myths, do you, Lupin,' Severus growled, his eyes tinged red again. 'I cannot just _take _anyone I please as my human servant, they must be _willing_ to come to _me..._or I _cannot _have them. If no one knows what I am do you really think anyone would be willing to become a pin cushion, amongst other things, to a creature like me? I am a Sanguinarian, I may not need to fulfil certain needs all that often, but I _do _have them. Dammit, I _have _to find a way to get that potion made!' he said in a low, husky yet angered tone of voice.  
  
'Does the servant _have _to be fully...human?' Remus asked in a strange tone of voice.  
  
Severus closed his eyes, letting that remark twine round his senses, knowing full well what Remus meant. Shaking his head slowly he reopened his eyes, the colour in his eyes growing stronger, and his body began to betray him by responding to a new scent in the air, one that the werewolf was giving off all too clearly. 'No...they don't have to be fully human though it's preferred to have...human...blood. They have to be _willing_ is the main issue. I should tell you...I have never taken from a human before...never by flesh anyway...the potion...helps that need in respect,' he said softly.  
  
'Would...would it be dangerous for you to feed from a...werewolf?' Remus asked quietly, his gaze not leaving Severus's face.  
  
Severus opened his now fully red tinted eyes and gazed deeply into Remus's amber yellowed eyes. 'I don't know to be honest. Sanguinarian Vampires and Werewolves are supposed to hate each other, Lupin. Not one of my kind has ever dared go against that and feed off your kind,' he said, though not unkindly, more just stating fact.  
  
'Do _you _hate me?' Remus asked quietly.  
  
Severus shook his head, swallowing deeply as his vampiric senses began to overtake him. 'No...'  
  
'Then maybe it's time to break a few 'traditions', Severus,' Remus said in a low voice, keeping his gaze level with Severus's.  
  
Severus closed his eyes, fighting off not just the urges he was feeling, but the dizziness and pain that was coursing through him now. He knew he hadn't fed in close to two weeks, and like he had said before he had never allowed himself to feed off humans, only creatures in the Forbidden Forest. He had made a vow right after he became a vampire that he would never inflict his curse on another, or even risk it, and had steered far clear of human blood. He had however tasted it once, sneaking into a Muggle place that stored it when he was younger just to see what it was like. It had made him giddy, it was like a drug to him to have human blood running through him, but in the end he knew he had to stick to animals. Primarily it was because he had a good feeling that should he ever feed off another human, he wouldn't want to ever let that human go.  
  
Severus shook his head, trying to clear his mind though he knew the need was getting stronger, and he couldn't figure out why the potion wasn't working like it was supposed to be. 'No, Lupin...I...I can't do that to you. To anyone. I can't...risk it...' Severus said in a pain-filled voice.  
  
'Severus...Severus listen to me. One thing I _do _know is that you cannot turn _me_. I'm _already _a creature of the dark, you have _nothing _to fear with me. Don't you see that? When was the last time you fed, Severus? When was the last time you took the potion?' Remus asked in concern now. Severus was growing paler by the moment, as if he was suddenly being drained rapidly and it bothered Remus quite a bit.  
  
'T-two...two weeks. This morning...took p-potion...it's...supposed to...last...t-twenty-four hours...' Severus barely managed to say. His head was spinning now, it felt more like two months not two weeks since he'd last fed. He was growing weaker just thinking about it even, the scents of overactive teenagers were thick in the air, and his own teenage hormones were definitely making things one hundred times worse.  
  
'Just like the moon,' Remus said in a half whisper, glancing out a slit in the curtains towards the window now. 'Severus...Severus, I think I understand. It's just like the moon is going full again...in _this _world it's like we've been gone already a month from when we left _our _world, do you understand what I'm saying to you? We're being affected by some sort of time shift, it's tricking you into thinking it's been a month, rather than a few days or weeks since you last fed...since you had the potion last. Severus? Can you hear me, Severus? It's a trick...nothing more...' Remus said worriedly.   
  
Severus was not looking well at all now, and Remus had a very bad feeling about what was going on with him. He could sense the shift in Severus's body language and emotions, and how he was losing control. Remus knew beyond a shadow of a doubt then that Severus wasn't going to be able to fight himself much longer, just as he himself wasn't going to be able to fight the moon changes he already felt drawn to.  
  
Severus groaned, he could barely register what Remus was saying any more. Something about tricking him into believing something...something about a month passing? A month? It couldn't be a month since he'd fed last...could it? It felt like it though, the need pressed on him so tightly it hurt...oh how it hurt...only pure pain coursed through him now, burning his very skin, his very blood seemed to have turned to ice. He couldn't even try to open his eyes anymore, any light would have blinded him at that point. Without the Siccus Potion he was vulnerable, weak-willed, craving things he shouldn't be. He needed those things though, like an addict needs his drugs. He needed blood, he needed it's taste, it's texture, it's scent and most of all it's warmth spreading through him, unfreezing the ice that was in his veins. Worst of it was he needed it _now, _this very moment even to stop the pain, to stop the complete torture that was consuming him.  
  
'Severus...?'   
  
Severus groaned again but it was harsh sounding now, the voice calling him put any rational thoughts he had in the back of his mind, only the deep burning desires were left behind as his torment. All that he knew now was the desire to feed, to feel someone beneath him, to take someone into his arms and become one with them. He started to shiver, the air that circled round him now was like sandpaper against his skin, both teasing and torturing him at the same time.   
  
'Severus...'  
  
Again that voice filtered through his mind, he still wasn't sure who's it was but it didn't matter any more. All that mattered was that someone _was _calling him...someone _was _there with him. Another whispery tendril floated through him, again that same voice, and now he felt someone touching him causing him to shudder and at the same time want to grab the person touching him, but something held him back. He whimpered, wondering why he was being held back from taking this person, from claiming them as his own. The more he wanted to do that however a part of him felt ripped into shreds, and he felt like an invisible pair of hands were holding him back.  
  
'Severus...it's all right...you need this...take it...I offer it to you...willingly...' the voice whispered into Severus's ear now, a voice he almost recognised but at the moment he couldn't put a name to. Then he felt someone holding him close, pressing themselves against him and lowering his head down towards something...towards something silky and smooth. He smelled strange scents now, not the fear as he always smelled with the animals he took from, no. These were different smells, comforting and understanding ones. Scents of air and water combined, the fresh smell of grass and earth, as well as a hint of vanilla. All of it was too tantalisingly sweet to him, they played with him, teasing his senses making him wreathe in ecstasy.  
  
'Severus...take it...willingly...do you hear me, Severus? I give this to you willingly...'  
  
The next thing he knew was nothing short of relief. The invisible hands let him go as warm flesh pressed against his lips, and he knew he couldn't stop himself. A part of him for a moment tried to fight this, the once human side of him screamed and raged at him to resist this, but his needs and desires overruled as the scents bewitched him and the silky flesh ensnared him. Dizziness and hunger claimed him, and with a sigh of pure contentment he nuzzled the warmth pressed against his lips, licking at the offered flesh tenderly for a moment, as if he was trying to assure whoever this was that he wasn't going to hurt them...that they were safe.  
  
As he sunk his teeth into the person before him and he began to drink the warmed blood he finally understood what it meant to be what he was. This was who he was, a Sanguinarian Vampire, a dark creature...a craver of humankind. As the coppery sweet taste spread through him he realised he had been a fool to deny himself human blood for so long. As he fed he tenderly embraced the one who was offering this ambrosia to him, and as he became fulfilled his other senses took over and he felt his body responding with other needs. Needs that only the man he was holding could provide him, and the burning that had been painful only moments ago had now turned in pleasurable burning desires.   
  
He let himself surrender then, not just for the pleasure of the human blood but for the man giving the blood. As his senses began to come back to him he now knew who it was who had done this for him, and he found oddly that he didn't care nor mind. All he knew was now that the blood desires were being sated, his bodily desires needed to be met, and though he felt a touch of guilt that it was pure driven need that was to be the cause of claiming the werewolf, he also relished in that at the same time.   
  
Sighing with filled happiness he released Remus's neck, gently licking away any last drops of blood, and leaned back to look into Remus's eyes. They were half-lidded, not from pain, he could sense that, but surprisingly in pleasure. His intense gaze now asked a silent question and with a slight nod of his head Remus gave his reply. Severus didn't need to know anymore, that nod said enough. With a soft moan he claimed Remus's lips, not in gentleness as he wished he could have, but in pure driven heated passion, and to his relief Remus responded back in kind, apparently equally as eager to please the vampire.   
  
The fact that Remus was now beholden to be Severus's servant didn't seem to bother either of them as all rational thoughts ended. This wasn't an act of just sex, somehow they both knew that, but it wasn't like anything either of them had ever experienced either. They met as one soul, one body, pain and pleasure combined. Their lovemaking wasn't gentle, yet neither was it unbearably harsh. It was a balance of power, of wills, a give and take of something they weren't sure of what yet. Whatever it was though, it consumed them and brought them to the heights of the heavens, and it would be long past their room mates had returned and fallen asleep that they would come back down from those heights. As they lay together intertwined in each others sweaty arms, their passions spent, words weren't even needed between them, they both understood each other.  
  
Any regrets or recriminations would wait till morning as sleep overtook them, though for some reason suddenly neither of them thought there would be any need for those regrets come morning. What neither Severus nor Remus knew was that there was a very simple reason why no one had stepped forward as Severus's human servant earlier...because in _this _world, Remus Lupin had _always _held that claim, and apparently he had never minded it in the least.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

  
'Bellus Impero' - 'Good Rules'  
Siccus Potion - Bloodless Potion  
  
The 'Alzheimer's Roulette' quote comes from the film Dark Harbour with Alan Rickman. Ah I do adore that film. A must see for any Alan Rickman slash fan yes indeed!  
  
As for the information regarding Sanguinarian Vampires, what you see on the telly and in films for the most part is completely inaccurate. There are 'vampires' in the world, though they prefer not to be called 'real vampires'. They not are not always bloodseekers either, and vampires have many different roles. There are the Sanguinarian Vampires who do enjoy blood, though don't need to kill or anything to get it and most times don't even use human blood. There are also Psi-vamps who feed off 'energy' rather than blood, and tend to have err...'different' lifestyles then those who are Sanguinarian (the word means bloodthirsty by the by).  
  
Vampires and Psi-Vampires are not what you see in the films, that much I can tell you. They are everyday, normal human beings, though they do have certain things that set them apart. If you're interested in Sanguinarian Vampires, I can direct you to several good places for accurate information. If you're interested in Psi-Vamps...you can email me directly. Let's just say on that particular topic I know...er...a lot :coughs:.  
  
For the record, on the 'mythological' side of things however, Sanguinarian Vampires and Werewolves are indeed mortal enemies. Kill at first site type enemies, despite the fact they are both born of darkness. Sad fact, but true, they do hate each other, and there has never been a documented case where any type vampire, vampyre or vampeal could tolerate the presence of a werewolf.  
  


  
_October 03, 2002 8:07PM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy_


	5. When In RomeDo As The Romans Do?

  


**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
  
_**

Disclaimer: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
**_Cheers to:_**   
  
**Zhokea, KDay2 **(yup, you'll find out more what that 'position' will mean), **Wildfire **(heh yup, poor Draco certainly will!), **Temptress **(I'll email you will further replies luv :)), **Angela **(will email back with you as well luv, just need to play catch up again :P), **Amissa **(aye, aye mon Capitain! :tickles:), **Nagini, MistkyK, Fanny, VeronicaQ **(ohhh! a newbie to the HP world, welcomes luv! There's more than enough to read and I'm honoured you read mine as one of your first day ventures to our fair world! :hugs:), **Shades **(:hugs: don't worry luv, life is fraught with pitfalls, but in the end the rewards are worth it...I hope! :giggles: :cowers from Kaiba: eeps! No girl down girl! I'll stop frightening your mistress...err...maybe! :giggles:), **Asioleh **(did you get me email luv? Wasn't sure yahoo.uk giving me wonky issues lately :mutters:)  
  
Of course cheers and hugs to everyone reading as well! :)  
  
  
  


**_~~Chapter Five: When In Rome...Do As The Romans Do?~~  
  
  
_**

  
_'Aw Dray, can't we just ditch Figg, sneak back on board and come back to bed?' Harry said with a sleepy yawn, then gazed coyly down at his lover who was still warmly nestled next to him.  
  
Draco laughed and shook his head, poking his lover on the chest with his finger. 'Sorry luv, no can do. She'd be after us before we could say Hippogriff. Besides, we'll have fun! I've never been here before, looks interesting.'  
  
Harry scowled though he didn't get out of bed yet, instead he traced his fingertips up and down Draco's still naked back and shoulders loving how soft Draco's skin felt. 'What's so interesting about crowded marketplaces full of smelly camels?'  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head. 'It's not just the marketplace, Harry, it's everything. We're going to the Giza Plateau too today remember? The Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, the worker's Necropolis...? I don't know about you but I've always had a soft spot for Egypt,' he said with a wistful sigh.  
  
'Not to mention flies, scorpions, sand snakes, and scarabs?' Harry said chuckling. 'Oh all right, maybe it won't be so bad. From the way Bill talks about Egypt I have to admit some of it sounds pretty cool actually. Like the mummies and stuff, so I guess I can give it a go. Ron liked it when he was here anyway.'  
  
'Oh and we must all agree with Weasley's opinion, don't we. Can't trust anyone else's opinions now hmm?' Draco said mockingly.  
  
Harry smacked Draco on the shoulder and laughed, knowing Draco meant his words more in jest than anything else. 'Well he is my best friend!'  
  
'Mmm...perhaps so...but I'm your lover. Doesn't that count for much more?' Draco replied rising to the bait in a low, husky voice, then placed a soft kiss on Harry's stomach.  
  
Harry's breath caught in his throat and he shivered slightly, still amazed at how even just one kiss like that could illicit such emotions in him. 'Keep that up and Giza, Figg or mummies we definitely won't be leaving this ship...let alone this bed,' he said back in an equally husky voice.  
  
Draco laughed softly, then placed a longer, sweeter kiss chest, teasing the tanned skin provocatively with his tongue a moment. 'Oh? Is that a threat, Potter?' he said mischievously.  
  
Harry growled and pulled Draco up to look into his eyes, seeing the fire already burning in the swirls of smoky grey. 'Nope...that's a promise...Malfoy...' he said hoarsely.  
  
'How long till we have to meet Figg again?' Draco managed to say dizzily, nearly drowning in the intensity of Harry's emerald eyes.  
  
Harry didn't even need to glance at the digital Muggle clock on the stand next to their cabin bed, nor did the time even matter at this point. 'Till whenever we damn well decide to show up...' he replied firmly, then groaning slightly he leaned in and captured Draco's lips to his own, lost once again in the heat and driven needs of desire that only Draco could satisfy...  
  
'Harry_?' a soft voice called out now. Not getting response the voice called out a little louder, 'Harry?'  
  
Harry groaned and rolled over, pulling the duvet over his head. 'Leave me alone, Draco. Not getting up,' he grumbled.  
  
'Draco?' the voice asked puzzled. 'Harry come on, get up luv, breakfast is here and it's getting cold!' the person said more insistently and tugged off the duvet now.  
  
Harry gasped and shivered slightly as a burst of cool air hit him, and he rolled over angrily. 'What'd you do that for you git?' he muttered and sat up rubbing his eyes. A pair of cool wire frames was then slipped on his face, and he flinched a moment, unaccustomed to someone doing that for him. Blinking to clear the last remnants of sleep from his eyes he looked up angrily, until he realised who it was he was looking at.  
  
'Harry, you all right mate? You're acting weird this morning,' Peter asked in a quiet voice, giving Harry a strange look.  
  
'P-Peter?' Harry said in a hitched voice, the memories of yesterday flooding back to him now and he flinched again. 'Sor- err...you startled me that's all,' he said now, knowing that Peter didn't like him to say the word 'sorry' for anything.  
  
''Bout time, Harry, you really do have to wake up though. It's a Hogsmeade weekend remember? Also you have to see your Father before you go, he mentioned that at supper last night,' Peter said and climbed off the bed now that Harry was more awake.  
  
'Err...right, I remember,' Harry said knowing it was expected then got out of bed himself. The moment he did that however he realised to his horror that he was completely starkers, not to mention completely hard for some reason he couldn't for the moment remember. Something about a dream he had been having that much he knew, but he couldn't exactly place what the dream was about. Obviously though it had something to do with the fact he was totally aroused, and Peter's presence and now obvious notice of this wasn't helping.  
  
'Harry...' Peter said in a husky voice and made a step towards Harry with intentions clear in his eyes.  
  
Harry shivered, though this time not from the air, and stepped back a pace, only to hit the side of the bed with the back of his knees and flop back down into it. Before he could move away though Peter was on top of him, kissing him with a passion, and he felt Peter's hand take his arousal and begin stroking it. Harry had to choke back a gasp as Peter's hands seemed to know exactly where he liked to be touched, but the better part of him told him this couldn't happen, not with Peter anyway.   
  
Taking back what little sanity he had, no thanks to Peter's expert care of him, he managed to push Peter away from him and sit up quickly, his breath coming out in short gasps. He unconsciously shuddered from the loss of contact to his dismay, and he had to fight down another part of him that wanted to pull Peter back down on top of him and finish what had been started. Thankfully the first half of himself won out and he nearly sprinted off the bed to the other side, keeping the bed in between him and Peter as a comforting distance.  
  
'Harry? Did I do something wrong?' Peter asked now like a wounded animal, the hurt clear in his voice.  
  
Harry breathed in slowly, trying to fight down his pounding heartbeat and the dizzying urges that he was going daft and needed Peter's touch against him again. The fact that he was actually more aroused now than before wasn't helping and he groaned slightly, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. 'N-no, Pete...you...er...did nothing wrong. I...I just ah...Peter...last night...did we...ahh...have...err...sleep together?' he asked hesitantly.  
  
Peter looked at Harry oddly again. 'Harry, we _always _sleep together. Same bed and everything...remember?' he said puzzled.  
  
'I mean did we have sex!' Harry said irritably now.  
  
Peter sighed and his gaze became crestfallen suddenly, then dropped to the floor as his shoulders slumped. 'No, Harry, we didn't. You came out of the shower and got into bed just like you always do. Then I began to give you a massage because you seemed tense and then...' he trailed off.  
  
'And then?' Harry demanded.  
  
'And then _nothing_, that's what. You fell asleep,' Peter said in a choked up voice and looked back up at Harry, a trace of tears in his eyes. 'You never fall asleep during my massages, Harry, just like you've never pushed me away like you just did. Have I done something to offend you? Is it...are you getting your needs met somewheres else now? Is that why you've been hanging round Draco Malfoy? Why you called out his name when I woke you up today?' he asked in a small voice.  
  
Harry groaned slightly, now remembering he had said Draco's name earlier, and he mentally slapped himself knowing he'd have to be more careful from now on. 'No, Peter, I can assure you, I am _not _getting _anything _from Draco Malfoy,' Harry said in a firm tone of voice now, relieved beyond all relief however that he did not have sex with Peter last night after all.  
  
'Then what's going on? Why are you pushing me away when it's clear you need me?' Peter replied back pathetically. 'I'm your claim, Harry. It's supposed to be my job to make sure you're needs are met. If anyone finds out that I'm _not _fulfilling your needs...'  
  
Harry closed his eyes for a moment wishing that Peter didn't sound so pathetic at the moment. Even so, he just couldn't bring himself to allow Peter to 'fulfil' some of his 'needs'. Not when it was Draco's hands he needed, Draco's lips he wanted on him. However those thoughts were just making things worse, and he felt him becoming ever more aroused at even the thought of Draco, so he threw those thoughts into the back of his mind for the moment. 'Peter, you _do _take care of my needs. I just ah...it's early that's all, I'm not a morning person for...ah...that sort of thing, you know that,' he said, knowing he was pretty much lying through his teeth and hoped Peter would buy that. As a last parting betraying thought he remembered that on the ship he certainly may not have been a 'morning person', but Draco had successfully managed to find a loophole in that issue nearly every morning.  
  
Thankfully however Peter did buy Harry's lie, and with a slight grin nodded at him now. 'You're right, I know you really don't like it in the mornings all that much. You just looked like you need it and...well...it's been a while, and...I...I guess I just miss you making love to me,' he sighed.  
  
Harry found himself sighing too, knowing exactly how long it had been since he too had last made love to Draco, and to his dismay his body began responding again. 'Look I know things have err...been...difficult lately...I'm s-err...I'll make it up to you tonight...all right?' he said quietly, trying yet again to tone down his betraying thoughts. A strange feeling began flowing through him though again like it had last night, and suddenly his thoughts now had Peter laid out on the bed before him whilst he - no, he had to stop thinking that and quickly. 'Get me some clothes, Peter' he said gruffly now, not even daring to move. He knew if he did he wouldn't be able to resist touching the other boy, and right now that was the last thing he needed.  
  
Peter nodded, again more at ease Harry noticed at being commanded. Seconds later a dressing gown was thrown over Harry's shoulders and he stepped back as if somehow he knew this was yet again another of Peter's 'jobs' to dress him. Peter buttoned up the dressing gown and smoothed it free of any misplaced wrinkles, then looked back at Harry expectantly. 'Harry?' he asked.  
  
'Yes?' Harry replied wearily.  
  
'Are you sure you'll be all right though without being taken care of? You know how you can be when you're not sated for a few days,' Peter said worriedly.  
  
Secretly Harry agreed with Peter. He'd been going batty the last month unable to touch Draco let alone get a good shag in, and he'd been a right bear because of it back in his own world, but right now was definitely not the time to get that need taken care of. 'I'll be fine, Peter. Now you said something about breakfast?' Harry said quickly, glad that he managed this whole time not to blush to high heaven, and moved towards the centre of the room as if waiting expectantly for Peter to bring him to his breakfast.  
  
Peter nodded, though he did give Harry another quick, questioningly look, though he complied with what was expected of him. He then led Harry over to a door Harry hadn't noticed last night off to the right, between what he saw was his own desk and his wardrobe. Peter opened the door and Harry quickly walked through it, stopping in surprise at what he saw in the room beyond.  
  
It was a cozy looking dining area, decked out in green, silver and black. Another portrait of his 'father' was above a huge black and white marbled blazing fireplace, along with several other portraits, including one of a man Harry knew all too well. He groaned silently at seeing that portrait, knowing it only confirmed his fear from what he'd heard the night before in what had happened to the man and what he was in this world. He turned his attention briefly back to the rest of the room though and had to admit other than the portraits, it was actually a pleasant looking place.  
  
What surprised him was that he knew his own room had been deep in the bottom of the dungeons, but this room appeared not to be. There was a large stained glass window letting in a rainbow of sun-light, along with several other smaller windows, and glancing out one of them Harry nearly gasped. The room they were in boasted a bird's eyes view of the Forbidden Forest and he could see a corner of the lake that he had to admit with the morning rays bouncing off it looking quite smashing. It didn't take him more than a few moments to realize that this must be a specially enchanted room that was somehow connected to his own, and looking at the person that was seated at the large glass table in the middle of the room, not just to his room either.  
  
'Well, good morning little brother. About time you woke your lazy arse up, I've been sitting here for close to fifteen minutes waiting on you. If you're food's cold don't blame me,' James said in a haughty tone.  
  
Harry was surprised when he felt a pang of coldness well up in him as he looked at James, because that was the last feeling he expected at seeing his 'real father'. 'I had _things _that needed to be taken care of, brother. I trust you _understand _what I mean?' he replied coolly and walked over to the table and sat down in an elaborately carved silver meshed chair with green cushions.  
  
James didn't even bat an eyelid at that except to glance over at Peter with a slight sneer. 'Well at least he's good for _something_,' James smirked and then turned his attention back to Harry.  
  
Peter tensed up at that statement Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye, though apparently the poor lad was used to this treatment from James. For a moment Harry felt a pang of something akin to guilt that he had not let Peter do his 'job' and make it easier on the boy, but Harry quickly recovered and just sat there expectantly. He now turned to watch Peter fetch some plates and a tea cup from a side table, then load it up with some food that was sitting out on what looked like a buffet style breakfast.   
  
Peter took his wand and pointed at the food, muttering a few words, put his wand away then picked up the plates on a tray and walked back over the table. 'Here, Harry, I warmed it for you. Let's see, today you've got kippers, bacon, black pudding, liver sausage, some scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and the usual semolina. And of course your tea white with five, just as you like it,' Peter said with a small smile at Harry. He then placed the plates down before Harry and arraigned things as he knew Harry liked it, whilst making sure to handed him his tea cup last, just like he did every day.  
  
'Ugg, how can you drink tea so sweet?' a new voice said now condescendingly, and seconds later the voice followed up with the presence of Sirius walking into the room.  
  
'Got a problem with the way I drink my tea, Sirius?' Harry said back in an equally condescending tone of voice, blowing on his tea to cool it down a bit. 'Because I certainly don't recall asking _you're _opinion of how I like _my _tea.' Privately Harry was surprised at such a breakfast, it was richer than he was used to at Hogwarts, but at least his tea was indeed the way he liked it.  
  
Sirius scowled at Harry then turned to James shaking his head. 'Chalk and cheese you two are. If it wasn't that you look the same except for the eyes, I'd swear you weren't brothers at all,' he muttered.  
  
James sneered and nodded. 'Agreed. I wonder that myself half the time. Is the paper in then?' he asked now giving Sirius a hard gaze.  
  
Sirius nodded and to Harry's surprise walked over and smoothed out today's edition of the _Daily Prophet_ before putting it down before James. Sirius then took James's glasses off, cleaned them with a handkerchief he'd pulled from the pocket of his robe, and put them back on, then brushed a few lint fluffs off James's collar. With a stab of painful realization Harry realised that despite Sirius's off-handed and harsh attitude, and his pure-blood status, his godfather in this world was really no more than what Peter was - a slave, only to James instead of himself. Somehow Harry also had a pretty good idea that James was by no means easy on Sirius as Harry was with Peter. Gentleness and kindness didn't seem to be something that this James was capable of, and he felt a bit of pity for his godfather at the moment, not that he was foolish enough to say anything.  
  
Peter however at seeing the paper groaned. 'Oh no, I forgot _your _paper, Harry! Be right back,' he said and dashed back towards the door they had come out of earlier. Seconds later he dashed back in nearly skidding into Harry's chair and attempted to smooth down the rather wrinkled up paper, placing it before Harry. 'Here, sorry it's a bit umm...crushed,' he said in an apologetic voice.  
  
Before Harry could respond however James said in a voice that sounded like the crack of a whip, 'Pettigrew, that's the second time this week my brother's paper has been so-called 'crushed' by your fumbling hands, or just plain forgotten completely. Either you get with the programme or I'll be speaking to Father about you're 'performances' as of late.'  
  
'James, please...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to - ' Peter began but a flash of anger in James's cold brown eyes, and a nod from James to Sirius who had already crossed the room let him know what was coming and he stumbled back in fear.   
  
Seconds later he was on the floor cowering and bleeding after being smacked across the face hard by Sirius, who was now leaning over him with a dark deep scowl on his face. 'You're nothing more than a pitiful excuse of a pure-blood, and don't you forget that, Pettigrew. You have been acting too cocky for your own good lately, don't think we haven't noticed that. If I didn't know better, I'd say _you're _the one that's been corrupting Harry into thinking he's 'good', if not responsible in getting him to hang round that Gryffindor rubbish. Hmm? Are you, Pettigrew?' he spat out harshly.  
  
'N-no! No...no, Sirius, I _swear _to you...I'm not! Harry is my master, I wouldn't dare try to harm him or anything like that!' Peter sobbed.  
  
Sirius slapped him across the face again rather hard, drawing another blood mark as he deliberately let his servant's ring cut Peter's cheek again. 'You better not, Pettigrew. Harry chose you out of pity and _maybe _even the fact you might be a good shag, but just remember this - Master Maximus has the final words. If he so much as gets wind of you shirking any more of your _responsibilities_, you and that pretty body of yours will find yourselves on the other end of his wand, make no mistake,' Sirius said icily.  
  
'Enough, Sirius, leave Peter alone, **_now_**!' Harry yelled out now and stood up angrily, his eyes blazing with fury. He may not have really liked Peter, but even he didn't deserve this from Sirius, and any thoughts of pitying Sirius were engulfed by pure rage. Going over to Peter he gently reached down and picked up the shaking boy from the floor, holding him tightly against him whilst giving him a small smile. Turning back to Sirius however he settled a cold gaze on the other lad, though Sirius didn't turn away nor back down from him.  
  
'He needs to know who's the master and who's the servant here, Harry. You're too lenient with this sod,' Sirius said harshly and glared at Peter who was still sobbing softly.  
  
Harry didn't know why but suddenly his rage changed, and he felt a raw power flow through him. Gazing intently at Sirius he whispered _'Desectio!'_ towards him. Within a few seconds later Sirius was now the one on the floor, blood streaming through several deep cuts on his own face. Harry took a few steps forwards and stood towering over Sirius, his emerald eyes glowing. 'That is _my _decision to make, not _yours _Sirius Black. He is _my _servant, and I will do with him as _I _see fit. The next time you touch him you'll wish I was as lenient with _you_ as I am with him,' he said in a dangerously low tone of voice. Straightening up he gave a cold, icy glare to his brother. 'Keep your servant out of my affairs, brother, or I will _personally _make sure he stays out of them.'  
  
James looked at Harry oddly for a moment then nodded slightly. 'Well well, maybe there is hope for you yet, brother. Father will be pleased to know that you have the Potter genes in you after all, considering how much like Mater you've become lately. Pity though they have to be wasted over someone like Pettigrew, though it seems you _do _harbour some feelings for the prat after all. I'll have to keep that in mind for future reference,' he said giving his brother a twisted grin.  
  
Harry's eyes flashed once again, and that strange heated power flowed through him causing him to almost lose consciousness. Before he knew what he was doing something took over and guided him, and in that same dangerously low voice he half whispered whilst intensely gazing at his brother, '_Lupatus Seco!_' and watched with a satisfied smirk as four large, deep gashes now ran across James's face.  
  
James tensed and put a hand up to the marks, wiping away some of the blood and then looked back at Harry. To Harry's surprise James laughed, though not a pleasant laughter, then shook his head almost cheerily. 'Touché, baby brother, I get your...points. Nice work though, seems you're finally coming into your own, and over such trivial things no less. Who knew all it would take to show you're true colours was to put a few scratches on your...servant,' James said with a smirk.  
  
'What are you talking about?' Harry asked slightly puzzled now, keeping a wary eye on Sirius still who still hadn't gotten off the floor and was giving him an wary look.  
  
James eyed Harry cooly. 'You've been fighting the Potter side of you since last year, Harry, I know it, and Father knows it. You want everyone to think you're above such things, such darkness and evils, but you're not, little brother. You were born as a Prince of Darkness, and you shall die with that proud birthright. To deny what you are is a fool's errand, and make no mistake, Harry, you _can't _fight it forever. I know what you hoped to do by claiming a Gryffindor, you hoped for some idiotic absolution for what you are. You can't wash the blood of your victims from your hands by being 'good' and 'righteous' though, it doesn't work that way. You are have the blood of Slytherin in you, power, fame and glory is your birthright, don't you _ever _forget that.'  
  
Harry tensed, he wasn't sure he heard correctly what James was saying, and if he was he wasn't sure he wanted to even deal with it. His head was swimming, he felt drained suddenly and he leaned against Peter for support for a moment. Strange information starting coming to him, he assumed it was things from this world's Harry's past he was beginning to learn, and he shook his head slowly. 'You're more the fool, brother. You _know _what I am, and you still expect me _not _to fight for what I believe in? _Got to hell, James_,' he spat out heavily, finding enough energy to glare coldly at James.  
  
James smirked and rose from the table and walked slowly over to where Harry and Peter were standing, not even bothering with the blood still streaming down his face. Before Harry could react or even move James's wand was in his hand and pointed directly at him. 'I don't know what's happened to you in the past year or so, but it's going to end now. I've had enough of it, enough of your pretenses and so-called 'changes of heart'. It's time to teach you a lesson in humility, baby brother,' he said coldly. '_Crucio!_' he shouted out now and a red beam shot out from his wand aimed directly at Harry's forehead.  
  
Harry tensed, expecting to feel the horrific pain he knew that spell caused, but something odd happened. He watched the beam of light as if it was in slow motion, he could see it moving like a liquid fire towards him, but it was slow enough where he found himself able to respond before it could hit him. He suddenly felt calm, his body untensed and without even drawing his wand he found words yet again coming to his lips. _'Aegis Repulsio!'_ he called out quickly, and then watched in curious detachment as a purplish-white barrier erected itself round him, and then suddenly the world sped back up. The red beam of light hit the shield, shattering and splintering into a thousand sparkling glowing pin-pricks of light, and the room was plunged into a strange silence.  
  
A slow clapping sound made all four people in the room jump, and Harry looked up at the newcomer startled, then gasped as he saw who it was. It was a man, a very familiar man, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and was leaning against the fireplace non-chalantly, though he was looking at Harry as if he was highly impressed. The man was dressed in an outfit befitting of his status, and anyone could tell from looking at him he held a position of esteem, not to mention that he radiated dark powers.   
  
He was wearing a set of embroidered silver silk robes that shimmered in the light of the sun, a black silk high-collared dress shirt with silver buttons and silver cuff-links in the shape of snakes that had red jewelled eyes. He wore as well black linen trousers that were clearly tailored to perfection, and black dragon hide boots just like James had been wearing yesterday. His hair was as black as night, short and sleek looking and styled back so that not a single strand of hair was out of place. What got Harry was the man's eyes - they were a rich emerald green, and Harry could tell from those dangerously glinted orbs that this was a man you did not mess with unless you wanted to die.  
  
'Father,' James said formally as he finally recovered, then nodded at the man and walked over to him. 'What brings you here this fine morning?'  
  
The man completely ignored James however, keeping his gaze focused on Harry, for which Harry saw a scowl come on James's lips at the brush off. 'Quite an interesting display of fireworks, Harry. Since when did you come to learn that...particular...line of defence?' he asked in a cold but curious voice.  
  
Harry didn't respond right away, instead he just kept his gaze cool towards the man, and his expression neutral. He did however feel Peter tense up again, and he put his arm round Peter's waist drawing him into his shoulder as if in protection, never breaking his gaze with the man. He felt a slight kick to his foot then and looked down to see Sirius frowning at him.   
  
'You going to answer him or stand there like a dazed prat?' Sirius whispered his way harshly, finally picked himself up off the floor and throwing Harry a dark glare.  
  
'You want a bloody nose to go with those bloodied cheeks of yours you two-faced bastard?' Harry responded sweetly.  
  
'My my, what colourful language this morning. What was the matter, Harry, hmm? Breakfast not to your liking?' the man said amusedly. Brushing past James and walking over to where Harry was standing he ignored Sirius completely as he had James, his gaze still not leaving Harry's face.  
  
'More like the _company _was not to my liking this morning...Father,' Harry replied coldly.  
  
'I see. Mind telling me what happened that caused you to set off half the magic ward alarms this morning, nearly panicking every teacher and student at this school, son?' Maximus asked lightly.  
  
'He attacked us, that's what, Father!' James said heatedly, and pointed to his own face and then at Sirius's.  
  
Maximus looked at James and Sirius's wounds now, a steely glint in his emerald eyes. 'Hmm, not bad,' he nodded in approval towards Harry, a slight smirking grin on his lips. 'However what _I _saw was clearly _you _pointing _your _wand at your brother, James. I see no wand in Harry's hand however.'  
  
James muttered something under his breath, his brown eyes nearly black in rage.  
  
'What was that, James? I didn't quite hear you,' Maximus said coldly.  
  
'Father, Sirius attacked Peter first, I was only justified in retaliating,' Harry said stepping into the conversation now.  
  
'And what praytell was the reason for Sirius to do that?' Maximus asked settling a sharp gaze on Peter now.  
  
'I forgot to bring in his paper, Master Maximus, and when I did it was umm...creased slightly,' Peter said in a very subservient, wavery voice.  
  
'Is that all?' Maximus queried, raising an eyebrow questioningly at Peter.  
  
Harry felt Peter shaking in fear and for some reason he just couldn't let Peter suffer for something like this. 'That is all it was, Father, nothing more. Sirius's attack was uncalled for, and I responded in kind,' he replied in a firm voice, and looked at his father with a defiant gaze.  
  
Maximus sniffed as if such a thing wasn't even worth discussing anymore. 'Why did your brother feel the need to draw a wand on you then, son?' he asked now.  
  
Harry scowled, his temper flaring up again at the remembrance of what had been said then glared at James, before turning back to his father. 'Because they are nothing more than a pair of hot-headed gits who think I'll just sit back and let them abuse my servant over such trivial rubbish, that's why.'  
  
Maximus looked at Harry intensely for a moment. 'So you felt the need to protect your claim, and of course you should. After all, you did choose him, so you are completely justified in how you wish to protect him.'  
  
'Pettigrew isn't worth having claim to, Father, everyone knows that!' James said thickly and stepped threateningly towards Peter. 'He's nothing more than a snivelling, lying, piece of sh- '  
  
'**_Shut up, James!_**' Harry yelled now and stepped in front of Peter like a shield, 'I don't know why you and Sirius have it in for Peter lately, but I've about had it. You keep your filthy hands off him, or I _will _make sure you do!'  
  
'That's enough the both of you!' Maximus said now and glared at both James and Harry in a way that made them both wince. 'You will stop this squabbling here and now, it's unbecoming of a Potter to do, especially in front of your servants. James, you will collect yourself and get ready to go into Hogsmeade. Harry I will speak with you privately.'   
  
James scowled once more at Harry and Peter, then without another word turned on his heel and headed to the doorway that led to what was assumably his and Sirius's room, Sirius following closely behind him. The door then shut with a bang causing a dark look to flitter across Maximus's face, and he then refocused his gaze back to the two now in the room. He walked over to Peter and grasped his face, examining the bloodstained cheeks. 'When you have finished dressing Harry for the day, you will see Madam Pomfrey and get those healed. It would not do to have my son's servant looking as if he had been in a common barroom brawl. As for your little incident this morning with the paper, see that it does not happen again,' he said in a cold voice.  
  
'Yes, sir, I will not forget. Thank you for showing me leniency, Master Maximus' Peter said quietly.  
  
'Make no mistake, I do not do this out of leniency for _you_. I do this out of respect for my son, no more. I tolerate you as his claim because you _are _good to him surprisingly, as well as the fact you do not disrespect him nor myself. The fact that you happen to make the perfect servant by providing his needs before he even knows what they are shows me you are well suited to keep his claim. Just do not fail me, Peter Pettigrew, I do not tolerate failures,' Maximus said, then released Peter's face.  
  
Peter nodded quickly. 'No, sir, I will not,' he said, then with a quick grateful glance at Harry he dashed off towards their bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him.  
  
Maximus turned to look at Harry, a strange look on his face. 'So, that leaves just us then, doesn't it, son,' he said thoughtfully.  
  
Harry was leery of this man, he couldn't put his finger on it but something inside him seemed to be calling to him that he had to be very careful what he said or did. That same feeling of instinct from before with the spells guided him, and now it was like he was merely a puppet on a string, he was in his 'body', but now he could almost see mental images filter through of the 'other Harry's' past. Other confrontations with James that he had walked away from worse for the wear, confrontations with his 'Father' about when he had chosen Peter.   
  
Images then flooded him of one of the reasons why he had chosen Peter to claim, and he hoped he wasn't blushing at some of the things he was seeing himself doing with, or rather to, Peter Pettigrew. More images then flowed through his mind, ones that now replaced the passion with nothing short of agonizing pain. He understood now why James had said what he had earlier as images of himself torturing Muggles and Muggle-borns of all ages at wand point came to him. He couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen years of age at the time he did this, and he nearly cringed as he saw the sneers and smirks on his face as he watched how this world's Harry Potter had killed in cold blood, despite the screams and pleas of forgiveness that fell on deaf ears.   
  
Fear and horror now welled up inside him at what his counterpart in this world had done, the looks of pure satisfaction and joy that he saw on that Harry's face, that he could almost feel even as that Harry had spilt blood for the sheer whim of it. All because he was a 'Potter' and could do these things without anyone saying anything to stop him, without regrets or recriminations. It made him sick now as he saw the sheer pleasure that the Harry in his mind had felt when he watched his victims die before him.   
  
Clenching his hands tightly into fists he trembled, weakened by the images, and he had to choke back a sob. Looking back up at his 'father' he whispered, 'What have I done? Why me?'  
  
Maximus sighed surprisingly, and went over to put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. 'The more you fight it, Harry, the worse it will be for you. You're powers will consume you if you try to keep going against what you are capable of. You have more power in your little finger than your brother has in his entire body, and he will always resent you for that. He hates the fact that you do not embrace the darkness anymore, that you wish to turn from it.'  
  
'Let him hate me then...I don't want it,' Harry said through clenched teeth, pain wracking his body the more he did try to fight away the images in his mind.  
  
'Then you will suffer until you realize that you cannot avoid what and who you are. You are the last of the true families, my son, not me, not James, only _you_. You hold in your veins the blood of the greatest dark wizards ever born: Merlin, Agrippa, Salazar Slytherin, and of course, the greatest of them all, our Master and Lord, Albus Dumbledore. You were born to rule as they did, to deny that right will only destroy you.'  
  
'Then let it destroy me, Father! I can't live that way!' Harry said angrily, another wave of pain shooting through him.  
  
'You have too much of your mother in you I fear. She too tried to fight what she was, and it destroyed her in the end. Do you want to end up like she did?' Maximus said crossly.  
  
Harry suddenly got an image of a beautiful woman with long brown hair and deep brown eyes just like James's. He knew this had to be his 'mother' in this world, but she was so different then he expected, instead of frowning or darkness she was filled with laughter and happiness. Then that scene faded and another image came to him, it was the same woman crying out in agony, writhing on the ground before a man Harry knew all too well, and Harry watched in horror as his 'mother's' very lifeforce was being drained from her body by the man. Harry knew why this was, he knew plain as day now that it was because she had refused to follow her husband into the darkness, and bow down before his 'master'. She had refused the powers of darkness, and paid for that with her life.  
  
Even though Harry didn't really know the woman, in his 'memories' he felt nothing short of sadness and pity for what she had gone through and how she had died. A strange anger then coursed through him as the image of the woman faded, and he looked back up at his 'father' with a harsh, icy glare. 'He killed her...and you did _nothing _to stop him! How could do that to her? To your own wife? Did you feel nothing for her? Did you even love her?' he said harshly, his breath ragged and torn from the pain making it's way back through him.  
  
'Of course I did, she was everything to me!' Maximus said harshly. 'I didn't want her to die, I did everything I could to get her to see reason. She refused to accept the unavoidable though, even knowing the price she would pay. I took her as my wife despite her tainted blood-line because I loved her.'  
  
'_Tainted blood-line_? She was a fucking _Gryffindor _heir, why would she want to sell her soul? You married her because you wanted to control her, create the perfect family. You _used _her...used her body and magic to have James and me, knowing that _two _blood-lines would have more power, didn't you! Only it backfired didn't it...instead of us both getting her blood-line powers, only _I _did. After he killed her, you tried to corrupt _me_ instead...made me kill for the sport, made me hate and bow to _your _every whim...but I won't...do you hear me...I _won't_!' Harry spat out now, not even sure how he knew what he was saying, but somehow he did. However as he said those words another burst of pain assaulted him, and he felt himself being burned and torn up from the inside out, causing him to collapse to the floor writhing in pain, just like his mother had in his memory.  
  
'Harry...Harry...my son...please, stop this foolishness. Stop fighting yourself...you can't win! Yes, _you _have her blood-line not James, as well as the blood-line of the greats, but you _cannot _use them both. You are killing yourself by trying to be embrace the light, don't you see that? Anyone else, perhaps, but not _you_, not with the bloods of Gryffindor and Slytherin mixed together within you, not when the darkness was what you were meant for. I would rather see you dead at my own hands then for you to be destroyed because you choose not to embrace what you are,' Maximus said in a hard voice.  
  
'Then...kill...me...' Harry said, shuddering as fresh waves of pain coursed through him.  
  
Maximus gazed down at his son and surprisingly it wasn't in anger or rage, but tenderness and understanding, a look that no one but his wife Marushka had ever seen from this cold-hearted man. Shaking his head slowly he kneeled down and pulled Harry into his arms, holding him tightly. 'No, no my son, I will _not_, but if you insist on continuing on this path of destruction I _will _step in and force you into accepting who you are. Now that your Gryffindor powers of using wandless magic are showing you will have be very careful. If you fall into the wrong hands...'  
  
'You...mean...like...the...side...of...'good'?' Harry spat out coldly.  
  
Maximus scowled. 'There are those still on _our _side that would use you just as equally to their own advantages, Harry, keep that in mind. Some on our side do not wish to see our Master returned, they will pay for their cheating loyalties when the time comes,' he said harshly, then his eyes softened as he saw how much suffering his son was in. 'You can stop the pain, Harry. Stop fighting yourself, at least for now. Just let the powers guide you, accept them, embrace who you are and what you can do. Please, my son, I don't want to lose you,' he said softly now.  
  
Harry saw and heard the despondent tone of his father's voice, and he closed his eyes wishing this was all a nightmare. He tried to focus on anything but the pain, anything that wouldn't hurt him further, he knew he couldn't fight much more even if he wanted to. He let his mind go then, allowing more images to flow through him, calming him. He could now see his whole life here in this world, how once his brother and he had been close, how they would laughing and joke together, happy to be brothers and friends.   
  
He focused on the past year he'd spent with Peter as his servant, and how good Peter had made him feel. How he had met him in secret for two months before he had slipped on the Servants Ring to claim him, and how happy Peter had been to be marked as his property. He now saw the other Gryffindors he had become 'friends' with as well, the vampire, werewolf and the mixed-blood boy. Something nagged at him about that boy with the silvery-white hair and the expressive smoky grey eyes though, it was as if he knew the boy from somewhere else, another time and place, but he couldn't remember where or how anymore.  
  
A calmness finally overtook him as the images of the three Gryffindor's faded, and he somehow detached himself to finally be freed of the pain. A wraith-like image of Harry watched as the man with the black hair held him close, and how sad this man looked at the now silent boy in his arms. A part of him reached out to them, wanting to end both of their suffering, and he wished he knew what he could do to help them. As he watched a few more moments he finally began to understand, and knew what he had to do. Floating over to the boy he put a ghostly hand on his shoulder, and nodded his head even though he knew the boy couldn't see him. As he did that he felt the tensions and pain leave the boy, and then he felt himself being drawn down into the boy's body, a sense of blissful peace finally taking over.  
  
Harry shivered a moment as the other part of him returned and he opened his eyes, looking up at the man who's arms held him. Then with a deep sigh he wrapped his arms round the man, holding him back just as tightly. 'I'm sorry, Father. Do you forgive me for how I've been behaving lately?' he whispered.  
  
Maximus looked down into a pair of eyes so very like his own, and he smiled. 'I always do, Harry,' he said quietly, then releasing Harry he got to his feet, helping his son up as well. 'Now, I do recall today being part of a Hogsmeade weekend, so why don't you let Peter get you ready, and then the both of you can go have some fun, hmm?'  
  
Harry looked back at his father speculatively for a moment as if debating something before replying. 'I wouldn't mind going to Zonko's, and especially Honeydukes that's for sure,' he grinned, then with a glint of mischief now in his eyes he said, 'However, without some...Mudblood baiting...I dare say it won't really be too much _fun _after all.'  
  
Maximus chuckled and ruffled his son's hair. 'There will be plenty of time for that later, my son. Now run along, Peter must be positively frantic by now why you've taken so long to return.'  
  
Harry snorted and glanced back at the door. 'It's not his place to be so, though I do appreciate it from time to time,' he said off-handedly, then started walking towards the door however halfway there he turned back a moment. 'Father?'   
  
'Yes, Harry?'  
  
'I will warn you now, should James or that idiot he has for a servant ever hurt Peter again, or attempt to hurt me, I will _not _hesitant to respond again. Will that be an issue?' Harry asked, though his tone of voice clearly showed he wasn't only asking out of amusement more than anything else.  
  
'I dare say your brother and his servant will let you be for the moment. Though if they do disagree with your...methods...again, a response certainly would be allowable,' Maximus said with a slight grin.  
  
'Good, just making sure you understand my views then, Father. I don't like other people playing round with _my _property, and anyone who does so will be taught a valuable lesson in the future,' Harry smirked, then turned back round and opened the door to his room, stepped through, closing it softly behind him.   
  
Maximus watched his son leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. Turning to a corner of the room he nodded at something, and seconds later a black snake at least fifteen feet long slithered in front of him, uncoiling itself to look Maximus in the eyes. 'It's almost time, Master. Soon he will be ready,' Maximus said in Parseltongue.  
  
The snake nodded, it's forked tongue darting out and touching Maximus's cheek a moment. 'Do not underessstimate the childdd, Maximusss. His willl power isss ssstronger then you think it isss...' the snake hiss back.  
  
'He will help us return you to your glory, Master, that is all that matters now. He will learn what it means to be a Potter, and a Prince of the Dark. He shall rule at your side as was intended long ago before that fool Voldemort tried to destroy you, thankfully though we took precautions. We will wipe clean the Gryffindor thoughts that still try to consume him so that the blood-line of Slytherin can flourish again, even if it means destroying all he holds dear to do so. We've come too far to turn back now,' Maximus said coldly.  
  
'Be waryyy of the childdd, he will ssstill ssseek to trick usss. I ssstill sssense hesssitationsss within him...'  
  
'Of course you do, he is still his mother's child, tainted by the blood of that Muggle and Mudblood loving Godric Gryffindor,' Maximus said icily. 'I think though, that after today...he is returning to his former self. I do not think he will not fail us again.'  
  
'You are a fool, Maximusss. The childsss powersss sssurpass even me now becaussse of that blooddd and itsss qualitiesss of goodnesss. Take heed and make sssure he doesss _not _fail usss, or _you _will sssuffer along with himmm...'  
  
Maximus tensed and glared at the snake for a moment, then slowly nodded. 'I have already taken steps as of last night to ensure that will _not _happen, My Lord. The more he fights what he is, the more the potion I secretly have been giving him will keep in pain, as you saw yourself. Soon enough, not even he with that oh-so-noble blood-line of his will be able to resist the temptations to ease the torture,' he said firmly.  
  
'And ifff he doesss?'  
  
A dark glitter of cold, raw power came into Maximus Potter's eyes as he looked at the snake. 'If he does, Master Dumbledore...then he dies, simple as that.'  
  
The snake nodded in satisfaction and coiled itself round Maximus's body, then slowly began to fade as if it was being drawn into the man's very skin. When the last hiss of the snake left the air Maximus shivered a moment, then closed his eyes, tuning out the burning feeling of the snake returning to his skin. Guarding his thoughts carefully from the snake that always was with him he made a silent wish for his favourite son that all would work out.   
  
He would never admit it but he truly loved Harry, he was a reminder of his wife, the woman he had watched die in front of his eyes, whom he had not been allowed to mourn nor even show pity for after she died. He hadn't lied to Harry when he had told him he loved her, he had. He knew long that Harry was very much like her, and Maximus regretted that he had use his son in such a manner, but Maximus was a servant himself of the darkness. He could not fight who he was, anymore than his son really could, and prayed fervently Harry would see that soon, and accept that back into his life.  
  
A buzzing sound in his ear made him scowl and he looked down at a small fly that was being quite annoying, and he smack at it with his hand. The fly fell to the floor and seconds later a man sat there rubbing his head and glaring at Maximus. 'That wasn't very nice, Maximus' he muttered.  
  
'I'm not a 'nice' person, you should know that by now,' he scowled back. 'What do you want, Armando? I'm in no mood at the moment for your pestering.'  
  
'You're presence has been requested in your chambers, Maximus,' Armando Dippet said standing up and brushing himself off.  
  
'You handle it then, I'm busy,' Maximus said heavily.  
  
'Afraid not. The person is asking for _you_, not the Deputy Headmaster I'm afraid,' Dippet said with an offending sniff.  
  
'Who is it that wishes to disturb me?' Maximus said coldly.  
  
Armando hesitated a moment then gave Maximus a strange glance. 'The Minister of Magic does.'  
  
Maximus tensed a moment then uttered a few choice oaths under his breath. Pulling himself together he nodded at Armando curtly. 'Well then, shall we go see what that Muggle-loving young upstart wants of me, Armando?' he said with a smirk.  
  
'Knowing him, he wants to hear what his darling little brother is up to no doubt,' Armando sneered.  
  
Maximus scowled. 'No doubt. Very well, let's get this over with. I would prefer not to have to speak to that half-breed if at all possible. How he became Minister of Magic I still do not know,' he muttered.  
  
'Popularity, Maximus. He's incredibly charming, good-looking, a Gryffindor graduate, and insanely rich, lest you have forgotten,' Armando said thickly.  
  
'Hmm, yes, but even those with power like that can be corrupted, Armando. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Perhaps we can get our young Minister to see some...reason...before this day is through, hmm?' Maximus mused.  
  
Armando snorted. 'And get thrown into Azkaban for bribing the Minister of Magic? No thank you, Maximus, not today. We'll just have to get rid of him quickly and hope he doesn't ask too many questions beyond the welfare of his dear brother.'  
  
Maximus chuckled harshly. 'Pity he is a half-breed, he'd have made a fine servant for the Master, we could have put those assets of his to good use. Ah well, when the time comes and our Lord is returned to us he will pay as they all will for going against the true paths. Now come, let us see what he wants,' Maximus said. Saying a few words under his breath he and Armando then melted away from the room, returning back to the Headmasters Chambers so they could deal with one Lucius Malfoy, the very annoying and always interfering Minister of Magic.  
  


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Some rough translations here:  
  
**Desectio **- Latin for 'cutting'. I used it as a 'slicing spell'.  
**Lupatus Seco** - Latin for 'wolf scratch'. Self explanitory I hope here on that spell.  
**Aegis Repulsio** - Latin. In basic translation I was going for the idea of a 'repelling shield', only it sounded better in Latin to say it in reverse :P (one thing I always thought was funny is that in some RPGs they always seem to have an Aegis Shield, which really means a 'Shield Shield'...batty eh? :chuckles:)  
  
**_  
_**October 06, 2002 1:12 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy   



	6. A Good Day Only Gets Worse

  


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~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
  
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Disclaimer: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
**_Cheers to:_**  
  
**Random **(aw luv, I adore Uke-girlish ways! :giggles::smooches: though ahh...you sure you want to marry a girl who's more like Ryoko-chan in attitude than girlish? :chuckles: Ah she's so lucky to have a cabbit, aren't they just peachy adorable? ;P And yes I am an anime freak too! :nod nod:), **AshFarley **(:beams: hugs: thanks luv! And don't worry, you'll find out what the three Gryffie's are going through promise :grins: Poor Dray eh? Gotta feel for the lad I guess! :giggles:), **VeronicaQ, MiniMe **(:hugs: Ah, now what is really going on with Harry you'll find out soon!)   
  
**KDay2, Temptress **(you and Kday have taste in Maximus! :giggles: Sorry didn't respond yet on email, will by tomorrow, been a rough two days. Was in hospital yesterday sadly so didn't get to really answer the ones I wanted to :sigh: I haven't forgotten though promise!), **Mandraco **(:beams: hugs: YEY! Good wallabies, they didn't kidnap you for too long this time! :giggles: Oh yeah, I racked up 150+ hours on FF8, I hear that luv! :P Glad to see you back up and round, don't keep being such a stranger or I'll have to come down there and pull you away from those kidnapping wallys eh? :tickles:)   
  
**MistyK., Slone **(yup, title is the clue...'Mirror' in respects...what shouldn't be simply is :chuckle:), **Nagani **(heh join the club hun, I've been lazy now for days on that area too :groans: ah well...), **Amissa **(heh I enjoyed writing that scene between Harry/James, so much room for lovely anger and angst in there yup! :grins: As for Draco...:whistles: you'll see soon!), **Kyria, Silverwolf, Fannychan **(I know, Harry and Peter oy :gaze up: ah well all in the sake of good speed bumps for plot! :grins:)   
  
**Shades **(oopps!!! Bows down and apologises to Kaiba :sniffs: sorry laddie didn't mean to call you a girl! :cowers and hopes Kaiba forgives her now: Ah, as to the Godric/Salazar thing...some things are just 'as is', I didn't want it to be so skewed that it wouldn't make sense sort of. I left 'good' as being a 'bad' thing, and 'bad' as being the 'good' thing...see what I mean hopefully? Ah well, if not I'll try to explain it better next time :P Egads :pulls you back off the ground: don't faint luv, it'll be all right in the end, promise! :tickles:), **Toyo **(:hugs and smooches luv: I haven't forgotten you're email, just been out of it thanks to getting rushed to hospital Sun morning. They thought I was having an asthma attack, turned out to be acute bronchitis/borderline pneumonia :mutters: so didn't get out of hospital till today. Bored to tears already so back to writing I go then! :grins:)  
  
  
**As always cheers and hugs to all me readers as well! :hugs:**  
**  
  
  
**

_~~Chapter Six: A Good Day Only Gets Worse~~  
  
  
_

  
Remus awoke feeling groggy and disoriented, as if he'd drank one too many Butterbeers, and for him that meant really just one. His mouth was dry, his head felt like cotton, and his limbs felt like lead, or more to the point like something heavy was lying over him. Not daring to open his eyes just yet he let his senses reach out instead, and the first thing he noticed were some very odd scents round him, scents that were not his own. What made him panic was that he smelled blood most of all, although it wasn't fresh blood, it was still there none the less, and it worried him that maybe something had happened he wasn't aware of yet.  
  
Odd sounds came to him as well, ones that were all to close by. He heard the sounds of slight breathing near him, felt slight movements that he knew were not from his own body, and then he felt a tickling on his chest and he wondered what was the cause of it. Opening his eyes he looked down towards the strange sensation, and his eyes quickly enough fell on the source of the tickling, someone was indeed in the bed with him, and it was this someone's hair that was tickling his chest now. From what he could see the person's hair was black as night with intertwined reddish highlights, and from the looks of it, it also reached down to the middle of the person's back. Remus breathed in slightly then gently reached his hand over and touched this person's hair, finding it to be silky to the touch, and it smelled oddly sweet to him, like fresh earth and just cut grass.   
  
He closed his eyes again wondering who it was in bed with him, finding that he oddly couldn't remember anything just yet. A wave of contentment flooded through him though as he kept touching and stroking this other boy's hair and he felt himself relax into the scents and feelings he was receiving. His headache and bodyaches subsided, now only warmth and comfort, fulfillment even flowed through him. He sighed softly, and though he couldn't remember who this other lad was just yet, he found he really didn't care, the feelings were just too good. Somehow he just knew that something wonderful had taken place and he felt complete for the first time in his life.  
  
Remus was so lost within his thoughts and the feelings of such happiness and satisfaction that he didn't even sense the other person wake up, or the way the other person shifted possessively against him. He didn't even feel it as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves round his body, nor the lips that began caressing his skin needfully. It wasn't until a warm body moved up and placed a heated, rough kiss on his lips that he re-opened his eyes to look at who it was that had been laying with him, who was now causing his body to respond and he become heated and aroused by quickly igniting flames. He gasped in shock as he looked into a pair of eyes that he now fully recognised, though those inky depths were far different then he'd ever seen them. Where once distrust, coldness, fear and hatred had showed, there was now passion weaved within tiny flames of lust, as well as understanding, comfort, trust, and perhaps, though he dared not to even hope...love.  
  
Soft, warm lips then recaptured Remus's own, and closing his eyes Remus moaned softly as the other boy's hands seductively teased him, brushing his fingertips against Remus's naked skin making him light-headed. Then the other boy shifted and lowered his head, kissing Remus's neck, only pausing to lick at a spot there for a few moments hungrily. Remus then felt a sharp pain that made him cry out for a moment, then suddenly a spiraling dizziness washed over him along with the oddest sensations of nothing short of pure pleasure, which in turn caused him to arch himself hard into the other person's body. 'Severus...oh Merlin...Severus...' he breathed in a low, husky voice, astonished at the waves of lustful desires that were flowing through him now.  
  
The rest of Remus's rational thoughts left him then, only wave after wave of passion-filled heat and need flooded through him with an urgency. All he could do was whisper Severus's name over and over, moaning and wreathing beneath him as whatever Severus was doing drove him nearly to the edge. Just when Remus thought he could take no more of this intoxicating pleasure he felt Severus's hand take hold of his arousal, coaxing him, teasing him, torturing him into oblivion. '_Severus...!_' he somehow managed to cry out, and not more than a second later he released himself, a wave nothing short of pure ecstasy cascading through him as he collapsed back onto the sheets with a groan as he fell back to earth. 'Oh Gods...Severus...' he whispered, his thoughts still too jumbled to think or say more, and he had to struggle just to even breath again.  
  
However before Remus could attempt to even re-collect himself or even open his eyes Severus released his neck, licking it roughly which to his surprise sent a strange pulse of both pain and pleasure through him. He was then roughly turned on his stomach and forced to his knees, and before he could even protest or say another word Severus was buried inside of him, and once again all rational thoughts fled him. Remus didn't even care that Severus wasn't exactly being gentle with him at the moment, nor that Severus was thrusting inside of him with a need that all too obvious. Perhaps because it was so close to another full moon but the wolf part of Remus broke free now, and he began to enjoy this type of needful, rough treatment, it was something that he'd never experienced before but the wolf part of him almost begged that it would happen again. Letting the wolf take over he began to match each and every thrust with a need of his own, his low growls of pure lust only adding to heighten both their desires.  
  
Remus felt Severus's hand reach round and take hold of his once again hard arousal, and again Severus set out to tease and torment him, matching the speed of their thrusting with his hand movements. Just when Remus thought he could take no more, when his voice was hoarse from growling and moaning Severus's name over and over, when his body ached from then ecstasy he felt Severus tensed up. Remus know what that meant and with a with a final thrust against each other Remus felt Severus released himself into his all too waiting and eager body. With a passion-filled growl Remus followed not more than a few seconds later, his own arousal spilling itself forth it's sweet stickiness yet again into his lover's all too eager and accepting hand.  
  
Sweaty, sore and tired they collapsed back against the pillows and lay there for a little while, neither willing to really move, nor even speak. Severus wrapped his arms round Remus tightly, refusing to even slide himself out of Remus body yet, not that Remus minded in the least. After what seemed like hours, though it was only about fifteen minutes later, Remus shifted and turned round to face Severus, pushing a still sweaty lock of hair away from his eyes. He sighed in blissful contentment for a moment and leaned in and nuzzled Severus's neck gently, smelling the musky scent of the earth, blood and sex on him. Then he kissed his neck tenderly for a moment and leaned back to look into Severus's eyes, noticing that they now held a tinge of red amongst the black, but what he saw otherwise bothered him. He saw traces of pain, fear and worry now, and he wondered why that was.  
  
'Severus?' he asked softly, questioningly.  
  
Severus sighed deeply, painfully even, and closed his eyes a moment, shivering slightly. 'I'm sorry...' he whispered.  
  
'For what?' Remus asked puzzled.  
  
'For what just happened...I'm sorry. I should have warned you...' Severus said.  
  
'I don't understand, Severus. Warned me about what?' Remus asked confused.  
  
Severus opened his eyes and looked at Remus actually apologetic. 'About what it would be like sometimes when...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...to take you...without...without consent,' he said in an odd voice.   
  
'Well...hmm...I would accept that apology...'cept I don't remember complaining about it,' Remus said with a slight grin.  
  
Severus groaned and sat up, holding his head in his hands now. 'This isn't funny, Lu-Remus. All these years...so many years...I've prayed nothing like this would ever happen...and now...'  
  
Remus sat up and pulled Severus's hands into his own, looking deep into Severus's eyes. 'Tell me what happened then. I don't know unless you tell me,' he said quietly.  
  
Severus shivered again and inhaled a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 'Losing control over what I am. Without the potion in me it's a losing battle against the passion, the pure driven lust and desire. The need to have sex and blood whenever...wherever I need it, whatever time of day or night it happens. I'm powerless to stop it, I can't think straight...I have to satisfy the urges...even without asking,' he said in choked up voice.  
  
Remus thought on that a moment. 'Hmm...is umm...the drawing of blood err...like that...all the time? You have to have blood and sex together or just blood?'  
  
Severus sighed and nodded, looking away ashamed. 'The blood makes it worse actually. Feeding only fuels the desires of my body to the point that if I don't have sex...the pain would be excruciating. The Cruciatius Curse would feel _good _compared to it,' he muttered.  
  
'Is it always that...intense?' Remus mused.  
  
'Err...honestly...I don't know. I've been taking the potion so long that umm...well...oh hell, Remus, you're the first human I've ever fed off of. As for the times I have had sex, it was purely from lust, not the bloodlust, and I can say with all assurance...it was _never _like...err..._that_,' he said with oddly a slight blush on his face.  
  
Remus saw his blush and smiled softly, then brought Severus's face round to look him in the eyes again. 'So..._is _it going to be like _that _every morning? Or afternoon...or evening?' he said with a grin.  
  
Severus stared at Remus for a moment like he'd gone daft all of a sudden, then shook his head and actually laughed. 'I don't know, are you planning on making this a regular occurrence for me to share your bed, professor?' he said mockingly.  
  
'Depends,' Remus shot back coyly.  
  
'Oh? On what?' Severus replied.  
  
'On whether or not you and your incredibly mind-blowing orgasmic experiences don't send me to St. Mungo's first from an overdose of too much pleasure. Tell me, are _all _vampires this...sexually driven?' Remus grinned.  
  
Severus chuckled and pulled Remus back into his arms, kissing him lightly on the nose. 'Wouldn't know, never made love to another vampire, and that was nothing but making love, I wouldn't call what we just did...or what we did last night...sex by any means. The potion's kept me so sedated in that area though that in the past having sex was...well...definitely _nothing _like this.'  
  
'Hmm, guess we'll have to investigate this new experience more then,' Remus said with a smile, snuggling into Severus's arms with a contented sigh.  
  
'So tell me, are all werewolves as randy as you are near the full moon?' Severus asked with a grin.  
  
Remus chuckled. 'Don't know, never done it with another werewolf. I think though that my being randy has little to do with the moon, and a whole hell of a lot to do with your teeth buried in my neck. Not to mention your hands on my body, or your wonderful hardness buried inside of me to the point where I no longer think or breathe,' he said with a shiver of remembered pleasure.  
  
'Oh really? And here I thought it was my wonderful personality and looks that got you so worked up,' Severus snorted teasingly.  
  
Remus laughed. 'I think even Hippogriffs would steer clear of you on a good day, Professor Snape. Though I do like this side of you just as equally, or at least the wolf in me certainly does.'  
  
'Implying you liked me just as much when I'm bad tempered and grouchy?' Severus replied.  
  
'Mmm...I just like you, full stop, bad tempered was all right, but I like it _much _better when you're taking command of me like that. You certainly know how to please the wolf, Severus, and I found it be probably one of the most erotic, enjoyable things I've ever experienced to date,' Remus said coyly.  
  
Severus chuckled and kissed the top of Remus's head. 'Well we can find out just how much the wolf did like it later perhaps. I think for now however we're both more than well sated, and it's a good thing you put those silencing spells up last night. Which makes me wonder now how our dear Mr. Malfoy faired last evening. I dare say he had the worst of it,' Severus said grinning.  
  
Remus laughed and nodded. 'I feel sorry for him. If the Lily in this world is anything like the Lily I knew, he better have had a damn good reason to have avoided her bed. James rarely could come up with an excuse and it had to be a good one or she'd hunt him down anytime of the day or night to make up for it.'  
  
'Don't remind me. I once caught those two after hours in the Prefect's bathroom, needless to say that's an image I do _not _want to remember,' Severus muttered.  
  
'Poor you, at least you didn't have to see them snogging half the day,' Remus sighed. 'Ah well, I suppose we should get up and get ready, don't know 'bout you but I could use a good hot shower.'  
  
'I second that,' Severus said, then quickly peered through the curtains. 'Good, everyone else is still asleep it looks like, their curtains are all closed anyway except for the bed I assume is mine.'  
  
Remus nodded then quietly got out of the bed, reaching for his robe that had been abandoned to the floor last night. He put it on then handed Severus's robe to him, then looked back up at his new lover who was just getting off the bed and gasped quietly. 'Err...Severus?' he said in an odd voice.  
  
Severus put his robe on and then looked back at Remus worriedly. 'What?' he asked in a low voice, puzzled at the look Remus was giving him now.  
  
Remus didn't say anything, instead he grabbed Severus by the wrist and practically dragged him into the boy's loo, placing him before a mirror. 'Look,' he whispered.  
  
Severus shook his head then turned back to Remus. 'Remus, I _can't _look in the mirror. Remember...I'm a vampire? No reflection and all that rubbish? Sadly Muggle films and books _are _correct in that respect, true vampires _don't _have reflections,' he said with a sigh.   
  
Remus blushed. 'Oh...err...sorry. I forgot 'bout that,' he said apologetically.  
  
'What did you want me to see anyway?' Severus queried.  
  
'Err...well...' Remus said giving him another odd look. 'You've ahh...changed.'  
  
Severus raised an eyebrow at Remus in confusion. 'Changed? How so?'   
  
'You're skin's not quite so sallow first off, pale but not sickly...look,' he said taking Severus's hand now and holding it out in front of him. 'Then there's your...ah...hair...'  
  
Severus stared down at his hands and arms, Remus was right in that his skin was pale, but not yellowed and sallow as it had been for so long. Reaching up he then ran his fingers through his hair, only to find where it should have ended at his shoulders, it was now down to the middle of his back, and he pulled some of it round to have a better look. 'What the hell...?' he said in shock now.  
  
Remus reached out and touched Severus's, aware now that he had actually noticed this particular change earlier before they had made love, but at the time it hadn't registered. 'It's so soft and silky...and...oh, cor Severus...it's actually really brill looking now. The red highlights make it look just smashing!' he said running his hand through Severus's hair for a moment longer before pulling back.  
  
'You...you like it?' Severus asked hesitantly.  
  
Remus nodded. 'It's lovely, honestly. You don't even look like a vampire should...at least not how _I _remember reading 'bout them.'  
  
'You know, you're starting to sound like you did when you were seventeen? Did you know that?' Severus said giving Remus an odd look.  
  
'I am? How so?' Remus asked puzzled.  
  
Severus smiled and shook his head. 'For one you're using words like 'cor', 'brill' and 'smashing'. You used to use those terms back at school. Secondly you're accent's thicker then it has been in a long time.'  
  
'Oh, yeah I guess I lost the accent a bit as I got older, since I kept moving round so much as an adult. Haven't been back to Wales in years now actually,' Remus said, then he looked up and saw Severus's smile and stared at him full on. 'Merlin, Severus, your teeth!'  
  
'What? What about them?' Severus said now worriedly and put his finger up to his mouth.  
  
'They're...they're _white_! I mean...they're completely spot on!' Remus said in awe.  
  
'Huh?' Severus said and wished now he could see into a mirror. 'You sure?' he asked in surprise.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and nodded. 'Sure as sure can be. Trust me, Severus, they're as white as the purest pearls, and bloody straight too. No fangs though, not that I can see anyways.'  
  
'You're really losing your speech, Remus,' Severus said after a moment. 'As for the fangs, no, I wouldn't have them, not unless I choose to bring them out or when I'm feeding. Though if you see them it's a sure sign that I need blood, they drop on their own when that time comes,' Severus said. 'Still...all these changes...I wonder if...' he mused.  
  
'If what?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
Severus chewed on his lower lip, thinking rapidly on all of this. 'The potion. Remember last night when I told you that some of the adverse effects of my taking it were what it does to my hair, skin and teeth?'  
  
Remus thought for a moment then nodded. 'Yeah, I remember that now.'  
  
'Well...since in _this _world it's obvious I _haven't _been taking the potion...and add in the fact that I've now had blood from a human, or well from someone mainly human that is...I wonder if somehow the effects have caught up with me. If you want the truth, suddenly I'm beginning to think last night...and this morning...wasn't the first time I've had human blood in me or umm...that we err...have...' Severus said blushing slightly and looked away from Remus quickly.  
  
'I think I know what you're getting at, I'm suddenly getting that same feeling. I feel as if...and maybe I'm going off the wall thinking this but...I feel as if you've drank from me before last night, and yeah, I think we've ahh...done that too before. Also how you look now...is how you've _always _looked in this world unless you don't feed, then you look...err...like you do in our world which is why maybe no one noticed the difference when we arrived here. Does that sound strange?' Remus said quietly.  
  
'To be honest, sounds just about right,' Severus sighed. 'I think we're slowly being affected by the 'Remus and Severus' of this world. I don't know how or why, but that's what I'm thinking.'  
  
Remus nodded. 'I'm not getting anything tangible, not really 'memories' or anything, but I am getting 'feelings'. Not unpleasant ones...just...odd ones.'  
  
'I agree,' Severus said, then closed his eyes letting himself relax, sending himself into a self hypnosis state to try and make sense of all of this. He stayed like that for a few minutes before he re-opened his eyes with a sigh. Remus noticed the red tint from earlier was gone, replaced by his now obsidian black gaze, which was focused directly onto Remus. 'I think I know why no one stepped forwards yesterday as my servant, Remus,' he said quietly.  
  
'Why?' Remus said getting lost in his black murky gaze.  
  
'Because in _this _world you and I...have _always _been together. We were friends even before Hogwarts, in fact as far back as we could both 'remember' we have been. We grew up together, our parents are friends even. However...we have also been lovers for the past two years, sharing the same bed, the same desires...the same needs. Not just those either,' he said hesitantly and gave Remus an odd look.  
  
'What do you mean?' Remus asked confused.  
  
'In this world, the same night that I first took your blood into me, claiming you as my servant, you marked me as your lifemate_..._taking my blood into your body, making us one person. Binding us for the rest of our lives, because in this world we were always meant to be together,' he said quietly.  
  
Remus's eyes grew round at that, then he subconsciously looked down at Severus's neck, and gasped at what he was seeing. As he watched a circle that was clearly a bite mark appeared on Severus's skin, shining a deep blood red that stood out clearly against Severus's pale skin, and it was all too clear what that bite mark was to Remus. Reaching his hand up he touched the mark, tracing it with his fingertips and feeling tiny sparks of electricity shoot through him. Pulling his hand back he looked back into Severus's eyes with fear and hesitancy. 'Severus?'   
  
Severus took Remus's hand in his own, and held it tightly. 'I know, I felt it too, your bite is on me now...isn't it,' he said quietly.  
  
Remus nodded and sighed. 'Yeah, it is. I don't understand, how are we seeing physical proof...changes like this? What does it all mean?' he asked confused.  
  
'It means we're starting to get affected by this world somehow. The longer we stay here, the more of the other Severus and Remus will begin to take us over, our thoughts, our actions, our needs and everything else. Whatever our counterparts had...whatever they were together here, is what we are becoming. Just as they had each other, I now belong to you as much as you belong to me,' he said softly.  
  
Remus shook his head, lowering his gaze and sighing sadly. 'I'm so sorry...I didn't expect something like this, Severus, believe me. You know I wouldn't have...that I didn't want...' he trailed off, afraid to even finish his words.  
  
Severus took Remus's face in his hand and turned him back to look in his eyes. 'It's not your fault, Remus, anymore than it is mine. It's what this world is doing to us, not what we would or wouldn't have done on our own world. Much as I admit that I felt...things...for you in our world, I would never have forced myself on you either in this way. We have no choice but to see where this takes us now, and go along with whatever is going on until we find our way home.'  
  
'And what happens if we don't? Or...if we do?' Remus asked quietly.  
  
'I for one very much want to go home, and I will hope we find the way soon. Once we do get home...we'll worry about the rest when the time comes. For now we should concentrate our efforts to first just get home, all right?' Severus said firmly.  
  
Remus nodded, a wave of relief suddenly flooding through him. 'All right,' he said then by sheer chance glanced down at Severus's arm and gasped again. 'Severus?' he said in a shaky voice now.  
  
'What's wrong now?' Severus said pulling his hand back quickly and looking at Remus wearily.  
  
Remus grabbed Severus's left arm, looked at it for a moment, then looked back up at Severus in a daze. 'It's...it's gone...' he whispered.  
  
Severus looked down at his arm and stood stock still. The thing that had been a part of his life for the past twenty plus years, the stigma that had basically ruined his life and made him the callous, cold-hearted, bastard he'd become as an adult...was gone. His sign of servitude, the thing he had sold his soul for, was no longer a sickening reminder of his life, vanished as if it had been no more than a dream. 'How?' he said in a weak voice.  
  
Remus shook his head and thought quickly. 'Like you said, it's this world, Severus, that's what must have done it. No Voldemort I'm assuming...so no Death Eaters...therefore no Dark Mark. This world is taken away what has never been here in the first place.'  
  
'Then...that means...I'm free?' Severus whispered in awe, still gazing down at his left forearm. 'For the first time in over twenty years, I'm free from it? Oh Gods...' he said stepping back to the wall and then sliding down it slowly. 'No more pain...no more suffering...no more killing...no more being tortured and cursed...no more...'  
  
Remus knelt down and looked at Severus, taking his lifemate's hand into his own and gazing into his eyes. 'Yes...yes, you _are _free now. Free to enjoy a life without what you have been, but I beg you, Severus, don't let it corrupt you even worse than if it was there.'  
  
'What do you mean? I gave up everything when I took that damned mark, and now you want me to just forget that I'm rid of it? Pretend that I'll be glad...grateful to take it back?' Severus said angrily.  
  
'No, that's not it at all. What I _don't _want you to forget is that you had it in the first place. That this...all of this...is not _us_, Severus. This isn't _our _world, we _don't _belong here, even if it means returning to the hate and the death back home...it's where _we _belong. _It's who we are_,' Remus said firmly.  
  
Severus groaned and shook his head, trying to clear out the odd thoughts he was beginning to have. 'I know...I know, Remus...but it's so hard to do...to remember for some reason. I _know _we have to go home but now...after seeing this...suddenly I _don't _want to. I don't want to kill anymore, I don't want the pain, I don't want the torture of being what I am. I'm not talking about being a vampire, but as a spy...a killer. It hurts me, Remus, it hurts me more than you could possibly know,' he said perilously close to a sob.  
  
Remus gathered Severus into his arms, holding him tightly. 'I do know, Severus, I do know. I have been fighting my monster...my bloodlust too for so long. Knowing what I become once a month, knowing that I have only myself to hurt...to blame...for the torments I go through. But we have to somehow fight this world and what it wants us to believe in. You just told me that we _will _be going home, you told me we _will _find the way back and I _believe _you. We will find it, Severus, we have to,' he said quietly.  
  
Severus sniffed back a few tears, angry with himself for letting his teenage hormones and fears overrule him. 'You're right, of course you're right, we do have to go home. We don't belong here, we have our life back there for better or worse, and this isn't a part of it much as I wish it was,' he said sadly, and hugging Remus back tightly he let him go and stood up, brushing away the few tears that had escaped. 'Let's get our shower in and get ready, I'm feeling hungry all of a sudden,' he said with a weak smile.  
  
Remus stood up with a nod and smiled back. 'Vampires can eat human food?' he asked curiously now.  
  
Severus nodded. 'We don't err...process it the way humans do, but we can eat it. It ends up getting absorbed into us rather than having to ah...well you know. It's sort of a replacement for blood if need be, though we have to be careful not to eat too much at a time. With the potion in me I can actually eat quite a bit, it breaks the chemicals in the food down rather quickly. Without it though...I'm not sure...maybe half a plate of human food might suffice for me.'  
  
'Interesting, never knew that. Looks like I'm going to have to really grill you before I start teaching on vampires next term,' Remus said chuckling.  
  
'As long as you leave out certain oh..._aspects_...of what vampires are or do rather...I'll be more than happy to be..._grilled_,' Severus said coyly now.  
  
Remus laughed and swatted at him, though somehow he found Severus on the other side of the room before he had gotten within half an inch of him. 'Whoa, how d'you do that?' Remus asked in awe.  
  
Severus grinned then before Remus could blink again was back standing next to him. 'Preternatural reflexes, Remus. We can be damn quick when we want to be.'  
  
'So does that mean the comments 'bout you being an 'overgrown bat' has substance then as well?' Remus teased.  
  
Severus chuckled and shook his head. 'Some choose to have that form, I personally never liked it. I actually chose a different form long ago for when I needed it.'  
  
'You mean an animagus form?' Remus asked.  
  
Severus shook his head. 'Similar, but not quite. For a vampire it's an inherent part of who we are to become certain types of animals, no potions or spells involved. We can actually choose from several forms, though most of them were not to my appeal.'  
  
'Seems there's quite a bit that the books don't tell you about vampires,' Remus mused.  
  
'More than you could possibly know. There isn't just one type of vampire either, there are many types and forms. Before you ask however, that will have to wait for _another _time my dear inquisitive professor,' Severus chuckled. 'For now, let's shower.'  
  
Remus grinned but nodded. 'All right, I'll turn off my teaching instincts for now, only because I agree with you on the latter issue. Let's shower before the others wake up.'  
  
Not more than ten minutes later, just as they were getting out of the shower actually, the door burst open with a loud bang. A half naked figure darted across the room gasping for breath, then dashed behind Severus, making a pathetic attempt to hide from something or rather someone. 'For the love of the Gods...save me!' a voice pleaded.  
  
'What the fu-' Severus began to say but before he could get another word out the door burst open again, and a very angry looking person was now standing there.  
  
'**_DRACO MALFOY_**! What the _hell _do you think you're playing at _now_?' the person yelled, obviously this was the person the gasping figure had been hiding from, or trying to anyway.  
  
'**_FOR THE LOVE OF GODRIC, LILY_**!' Remus screamed, trying to cover himself quickly to no avail, not to mention blushing in pure embarrassment. 'This is the bloody _boy's _loo, girls are _not _invited in here incase you've forgotten!' he muttered whilst grabbing the first thing he got his hands on, which thankfully was indeed a towel.  
  
'Oh sod off, Remus. It's not like I haven't seen you and Severus naked hundreds of times before,' Lily said angrily, then reached round the still very naked Severus and grabbed hold of a very unhappy Draco.  
  
Severus nearly doubled over at what Lily said, and quickly grabbed up a towel now himself, turning red as a beetroot. Perhaps the Severus in this world hadn't a problem with Lily Evans seeing him naked, but he certainly did. 'Err...Po-Lily, care to explain just what in the bloody hell is going on here?'  
  
'Ask him!' Lily said pointing to Draco now, who had been trying to sneak out of the loo whilst her back was turned. 'Oh no you don't, get back here!' she scowled and pulled him back into the centre of the room.  
  
'Draco? What's wrong?' Remus said feeling sorry for the lad at the moment. He knew the Lily from his world all too well, and this was definitely sounding like the Lily Evans Potter that he'd grown up with. She boasted a temper that did justice to the fact she was a part Scottish Highlander red-head.  
  
Draco felt like a deer caught by a pair of headlights as he just stood there staring at Remus like he'd been wounded. He was dressed in only a pair of red and gold coloured boxer shorts that obviously must have belonged to the 'other' Draco, and sported a blush on his face as red as Lily's hair. 'She...err...she...wanted to...ahh...' he stammered, refusing to look at Lily or anything now but the floor.  
  
'She what, Draco?' Severus asked mildly amused now at all of this.  
  
Draco muttered something under his breath and then turned even redder than he was already to both Severus and Remus's amusement.  
  
'I didn't hear that, did you Severus? Mind repeating it for us, Draco?' Remus said with a grin.  
  
'Shewokeupwantingtohavesexwithmeallright?' Draco said irritated now, he personally did not see what was so funny about all of this.  
  
'Ah...I see. Is that _all_?' Severus said dryly, trying to stifle back a laugh.  
  
'This is _not _funny, Pr-Severus!' Draco bit back coldly. 'I _don't _want to have...err...do _that_!'  
  
'Since when? You never used to complain about waking up and wanting to shag, Draco!' Lily said back haughtily and glared at Draco.  
  
'Since...I don't know...since _now_ all right? Do I _need _a reason not to want to shag first thing in the morning?' he said bitterly.  
  
Lily looked at Draco coldly for a moment, then surprisingly she started to sniff, then outright bawl. 'Is it...are you already finding me fat then? Is that it, Draco?'  
  
'Fat? I didn't say anything about fat! I just don't...err...I'm not in the mood is all, not...ah...not right _now _I mean,' Draco said stepping back a pace in confusion.  
  
'Just like you weren't last night either?' Lily sobbed and began to cry even harder now.   
  
'I told you, I was just tired that's all. It was a rather err...long day for me. Please...don't cry...err...Lily...please?' Draco asked, feeling guilty now for making her cry even though he hadn't a clue as to why she was.  
  
'Lily, there's really no need to cry. It was rather a long day for all of us, it's not _your _fault,' Remus said stepping in and putting a comforting arm round her shoulder.  
  
Lily sniffed back a few tears and sighed deeply. 'All right, I can understand that I guess, you three have been putting in overtime studying for the N.E.W.T's and all. I just thought that maybe you were already thinking I was getting fat or something. I'm...I'm not yet am I, Drake?' she asked looking pleadingly at Draco.  
  
'Err...no, of course you're not, you're...err...you look just fine, Lily. Really, you're ahh...very pretty, glowing even,' Draco said with a small smile.  
  
Lily smiled then and wiped her face of her tears then threw her arms round Draco lovingly, kissing him on the cheek. 'Oh, Draco, you always know just what to say to me! No wonder I love you so much! For a moment I thought...'   
  
'Thought what?' Draco said a bit dazed, unsure of what to do about the very emotional woman holding him.  
  
'Well you know...that you didn't want me anymore because of...of the baby and all,' she said looking at him now and sniffed back more tears. 'Silly of me right? You wouldn't leave me because of that...I mean, I know we're going to make the _best _parents, I just know it!' she beamed suddenly and kissed Draco full on the lips. 'Well come on, we've got to get ready for Hogsmeade, you can't go round in your skivvies m'love and you promised me I could have anything I wanted in Honeydukes, so I'm going to hold you to that. We'll see you two downstairs in a bit then, don't be late!' she said considerably happy now, and with a wave she led the totally dazed Draco back out of the boy's loo by the arm, leaving behind a very confused Remus and Severus.  
  
'Did...did she just say...what I _think _she said?' Remus asked in a hitched voice.  
  
'Umm...I believe the word 'baby' _did _make an appearance, yup,' Severus said in a hushed voice.  
  
'No, I didn't hear that,' Remus said shaking his head slowly.  
  
'Yes, afraid you did,' Severus said nodding at him firmly.   
  
Remus groaned the sighed a long, deep sigh. 'I think this day just took a turn for the worse,' he said.  
  
'I do believe you're right on that point, Remus. Somehow though, I have a feeling this day is far from over yet,' Severus said with a sigh himself.  
  
'On that...I think you just might be right, Severus,' Remus replied. Together they both gathered up their robes and went back to their dorm to get ready for the day, both of them having a very bad feeling that they were in for one hell of a day, and they now wondered what else could possibly go wrong.  
  
  


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October 08, 2002 12:29 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy   



	7. A Whole NewHogsmeade?

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

Disclaimer: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
**_Cheers to:  
  
  
_Random S. **(:snuggles back: luvs you too hun! Ah me very own uke-girl I'm so happy! :giggles:), **VeronicaQ. **(heh, blame it on me muse Scabbers yup! :grin:), **A-Owl **(ask you shall receive!), **Temptress **(Yup there will be a 'meeting' in Hogsmeade as you'll see, but what Harry will do is anyone's guess yet :P :hugs her fluffy bunnies: Don't worry, remember things aren't what they seem!), **Wildfire, Slone **(ah now if only it was that easy eh? Sadly it isn't though...it's going to take a bit more doing to get them home :P And you already answered what I partially meant luv in respects...the title is actually a bit of a 'contradiction' in terms. Mirror and reverse coinciding...not just of the soul but mind, body and heart if you see what I mean? More will become clearer though promise :P)  
  
**Asioleh **(:tickles: trust me dahling, you know I wouldn't make things too horrid for our lovely foursome! :grins:), **MistyK. **(ah I do love those twists and turns of love now don't I :giggles:), **Nathalie **(hmm...but is Harry really 'Harry' or has he been 'corrupted' yet is the question when they finally do meet up! :whistles:), **Silverwolf, Amissa** (I agree...Draco needs to hide Harry and quick trust me! :giggles:), **Nagini **(:laughs: egads luv, you know me too well! When I'm being 'good' then you need to worry eh? :giggles: Ah what can I say, I do enjoy putting our heros into the angsty torture of the heat of love whenever I can :grins: Ah as for Draco being 'evil'...I can say sadly that will not happen, however Harry won't be the only one turning on himself at some point I can promise you that! :nod nod:)  
  
**Kday2 **(they do have a bit to go before they do get home, as to what will happen then...that's all up to Scabbers yet :chuckle: I agree, they are much better together then alone :nod nod:), **FannyChan, Shades **(:huggies: aw luv, only I'm allowed to get sick :glares at Kaiba: you better be taking care of your mummy now! :nod nod nod: grins: Bad days do tend to get worse as our poor boys will find out soon enough :gaze up: Heh don't worry, I still sleep with me Scabbers too! :giggles: unless he's being particular cruel, then he stays on top of the comp speakers :nod nod:)  
  
**Beinfoy **(oh I love the take on your name hun...seems I'm not the only one doing the 'mirror' effect eh? :chuckles: Heh yup, Dray could almost be Harry's 'dad' in respects, that's if Lils names the baby Harry anyway...though lets hope our Draco isn't there long enough to find out eh? :P I know, everyone tries to 'explain' out Sev's hair I think :sigh: I just can't help it, I adore the Japanese styled men (well honestly I adore the women more but ah...yeah :P) :giggles: Really though, can't you just picture that long, thick, luxurious black hair down to his mid-back :groans: oh la la c'est tres bein, oui? :grins: I think it's really the most important aspect of Sev and I always have an explanation in every fic I do with him why his hair is the way it is! :nod nod nod:)  
  
  


**_  
~~Chapter Seven: A Whole New...Hogsmeade?~~  
  
_**

Remus and Severus were both still lost in their thoughts as they headed out of the shower to get ready for their day. Remus was going through the things in his trunk debating what to wear, though he had to admit there certainly wasn't much of a choice from what he was looking at. Apart from the robe and clothes he had been wearing yesterday, there was little else in his trunk. There was a Gryffindor scarf in faded gold and red and fraying woolen threads, and it definitely looked like it had seen better days. There was also a grey woolen winter cloak which was patched in several places, and a faded black lightweight outdoor cloak for days like today where it wasn't quite winter yet, but being September it was cool enough to wear now. Remus sighed at how the lighter cloak was even more patched up than the winter one, but that was it as far as choices went so he would have to make do. Apparently in this world he was the same or even worse off financially than he'd been back in his own world to his dismay.  
  
As for clothes the basic choice of colours was in shades of brown, blue or basic black, definitely not the normal wardrobe Remus would have picked for himself. Not that he minded brown, he didn't, but to be limited to just these few colours made him wish for a nice red or yellow or even a green outfit at the moment. Choosing a very old-fashioned looking shirt in black with a pair of faded brown trousers he quickly got dressed and threw the lighter cloak over his shoulders, then turned to see what Severus was up to.  
  
Remus had to hide a smile as he looked at Severus, who was at the moment just standing there doing nothing more than staring into his own trunk, a deep scowl on his face. 'Something wrong, Severus?' he asked with amusement.  
  
'Yes something is wrong. You don't honestly expect me to wear these..._things_...do you?' he said heatedly and pointed to the items in his trunk.  
  
Remus walked over and took a peek inside, slightly grinning at what he saw. Severus's own clothes were in not much better shape than his own, and patches and frayed strings showed clearly that in this world Severus Snape certainly did not come from a family of wealth like he had in their own world. Not to mention the colour scheme wasn't any different from what Remus's was, apparently their 'families' shopped in the same places in this world, and brown, blue and black colours were all he had to wear as well.  
  
'Hmm, limited choices eh?' Remus said rummaging through the trunk now. 'Ah, here we go, try this,' he said and held out a black collared shirt with brown trousers that matched his own.  
  
Severus glared at Remus and shook his head stubbornly. 'You have to be joking. I cannot...will not...wear those_...things_!' he grumbled.  
  
Remus shook his head and . 'Either wear 'em, Severus, or you're going to Hogsmeade naked. Honestly, cariadau, be grateful you have something to wear at all,' he said in a huff and turned his back to Severus putting the clothes on the other boy's bed. When he turned back round Severus was staring at him oddly however, and Remus gave him a weary look. 'What is it now?' he demanded.  
  
Severus shook his head and gazed again oddly at Remus. 'You're speaking Cymraeg, that's what,' he said puzzled.  
  
Now it was Remus's turn to stare at Severus. 'I am?' he asked and saw Severus nod. 'That's strange, I haven't spoke that language in...well ages now. Not since my parents were killed over twenty-five years ago...' he said trailing off sadly at the remembrance of those dismal days after his parents were murdered by Voldemort.  
  
'Whilst you were still at school, I'd forgotten that,' Severus said reflectively. 'That might explain then why you're speaking it now...except for the fact that...' he said trailing off hesitantly.  
  
'Except for what fact?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
'The fact that _I _can understand _you _perfectly, Remus,' Severus said confused.  
  
Remus looked at Severus speculatively. 'Tybed? I don't see a problem with that,' he shrugged.  
  
'The problem is, fy annwyl bleiddion, that I do not nor ever have spoken Cymraeg in my life!' Severus said exasperated.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and shrugged again. 'Well apparently, fy annwyl fampir, you do _now_. Really, Severus, what does it matter anyway? We've got to get ready before Draco and Lily come back up here looking for us, so for the love of Myrddin, hurry up! I know Lily's temper all too well, and personally I'd rather _not _be on the receiving end of it _again _this morning,' he muttered, then walked back to his own bed to get ready.  
  
Severus gaped at Remus then shook his head in wonder, trying to make sense of what was going on. He turned back to the clothes Remus had picked out and sighed, disgusted by not only the colours but the clothes themselves and how old fashioned and just plain tattered looking they were. He thought over things as he got dressed then finally as he finished putting on a pair of very worn black shoes he realised what might be going on. 'I got it!' he said quickly.  
  
Remus who'd been watching him from his own bed stood up and walked over to Severus, questions in his eyes. 'Got what?'  
  
'Why I can understand you, and why I can speak Cymraeg back,' he replied.  
  
'And?' Remus asked expectantly.  
  
'Remember what I told you in the shower? How we've always been together in this world?' Severus asked.  
  
Remus nodded. 'Yeah, so? What does that have to do with anything?' he asked puzzled.  
  
'You obviously aren't getting it, Remus' Severus said slowly, then closed his eyes and focused his mind again. 'We have _always _been friends, _always _been together. We grew up together, Remus, our parents are, not were mind you...but _are _friends _to this day_. Which means they are alive...and we both live in Cymru, in a place called...called...' Severus trailed off trying to see more of the images.  
  
'Tal-y-wern, in the county of Powys by the Cambrian Mountains,' Remus said quietly closing his own eyes now, seeing the odd images of his life here now flood through his own mind. 'It's where I grew up in our world too, but here...it's where we _both _grew up...together. We're neighbours there, our parents houses are less than half a kilometre apart, on a stream near some woods. And that's where and how we became what we are in _this _world.'  
  
Severus nodded slowly, his eyes still closed, whilst his own images flooded through him again. 'We were not really 'young', I think...yeah...we were round ten when it happened, yeah it was the year before we were allowed to come to Hogwarts in this world. There was a fight one night during the full moon between a fampir and a bleddion. We were having a pretend camp-out at my house, and we were in the tent getting ready to go out and look at the stars with your new telescope, remember?' he said quietly.  
  
'Yeah, I do. That's when we heard the screams from inside the woods, and we ran to see what was going on. That's when it happened. The two were fighting...mortal enemies having an argument about who's right it was to be in that part of the forest for the night, but we didn't know that then of course. The bleddion attacked me because I stepped in front of it by accident...'  
  
'And the fampir attacked me just because it wanted to. By the time our parents came out to see what had happened...it was too late. We were both left for dead,' Severus said in a choked voice.  
  
'I remember...I remember that, Severus. We were covered in blood, our parents were crying and we were too scared and in shock to do anything...we couldn't even move we were so afraid. They took us to St. Mungo's that same night but it was too late...we'd already been turned they said, there was nothing they could do for us. The Ministry came after that and...and...' Remus said heavily, not wanting to continue.  
  
'And they wanted to take us away...lock us up for observation...but our families forbade them to. My tadau said he would hunt down the ones who did it, and with your tadau they did find them and they killed them in the end, but it made no difference anymore. Thankfully my mamau knew of someone who was also a blood vampire, and she wrote to him and he came and told me what I would expect from then on,' Severus said quietly.  
  
'I remember that like it was yesterday, Severus. He sat us both down and told us you would need a servant to feed from, and even though I was only ten I held your hand and said I would do it, because you were my best...my only friend, and wasn't going to lose you. We were both so scared but we never stopped being friends despite the fact our kind are supposed to be enemies, but we refused to be. When you had your first urges to need more than a blood servant...when you needed a lover...I was so very happy that it was me you wanted, Severus...I so happy to help you and be there for you...in your arms and your bed...' Remus said softly, then opened his eyes and walked over to Severus, who had opened his eyes at roughly the same time.  
  
Severus wrapped his arms round Remus and held him close, sighing deeply. 'I feel...so different here, in those memories. I'm happy and content, fulfilled even knowing you're there for me...with me in every aspect. I know they're not _my _memories really...but it feels so...so real...so good to me. I can see the first time you transformed, you were shaking because of how scared you were. Your tadau put you in a specially altered shed out in back of your house, and I stayed with you the whole time because I wasn't going to make you suffer alone. I remember taking your lifemate mark, and I too was so glad to accept it, knowing that I always be with you when you needed me, even during your transformations...even whilst here at school.'  
  
Remus nodded. 'I know, I see that too now. You're safe with me because you're a vampire, I can't change you anymore than you can change me. Just like James, Sirius and Peter used to keep me safe and protected at school, here _you _do that for me. You use your vampiric powers to help keep me from the bloodlust of wanting humans to eat...you keep me sane during the moons,' he said shivering slightly.  
  
'Tomorrow night is the full moon, Remus. I _will _be there with you, I promise you that,' he said firmly. Holding Remus tightly for another moment he then released him, kissing him tenderly on the lips and then smiled softly. 'Much as right now I'd love nothing more than to get back into bed with you, cariadau, I think we better go before Draco comes looking for us again.'   
  
Remus nodded and chuckled. 'Agreed, I have to feel for him. I mean, egads, Lils is _pregnant _in this world? I'm not sure I _want _to know how _that _happened,' he groaned.  
  
Severus rolled his eyes and chuckled himself. 'Do I need to explain the female anatomy to you, Professor? Or did you somehow miss out on how a baby is formed?' he teased.  
  
'Oi you! That's _not _what I meant!' Remus laughed and smacked Severus playfully on the arm. 'I just can't picture it with _them _though, I mean...Draco as a _father_? And to _Lily's _kid? That's almost like saying he's _Harry's _father in this world!'  
  
Severus groaned. 'That was an something I _didn't _need to think about, Remus, thank you,' he muttered. 'Let's go before you give me even more _lovely _things to imagine that might make this day any stranger then it already is,' he muttered.  
  
Remus laughed and nodded, then together they went downstairs, not even realising that they were speaking in Welsh more than English when they were alone together. As they got downstairs it was a very upset looking Draco that greeted them however. 'Took you long enough, sheesh. Can you please somehow manage to keep your hands off each other for five minutes and help get me out of this...predicament? Am I the only one that remembers we need to find my _boy_friend here and get the hell home?' Draco whispered angrily to Severus and Remus.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and then shook his head. 'We _haven't _forgotten, Draco, trust me. We'll figure something out soon hopefully, don't you worry. Meanwhile you've got to keep playing along,' he whispered back.  
  
'_Keep playing along_?' Draco muttered harshly and glared at Remus. _'You're _not the one who's got to...to...Oh, Lily...err...dearest, _there _you are!' Draco said in a loud voice now and threw on a fake smile. Walking over to her he took her hand and kissed it gracefully, bowing like a gentleman. 'Looking lovely as always my...err...darling. Shall we go then?' he said formally, but not before quickly glaring at both Remus and Severus again with looks that clearly said how much he resented what was going on.  
  
Lily giggled however at Draco's loving treatment, as well as a few of the other girls who had come down the stairs behind her. Severus and Remus did have to admit that Draco and Lily both looked rather good together surprisingly, though both knew that was the last thing Draco would want to hear at the moment, and silently they both felt a bit cheated that Lily and Draco's appearances were definitely nicer then their own were. Draco was dressed in a still very new looking crushed velvet robe of red with embroidered gold patterns on it, along with a blue tailored dress shirt and matching blue cotton linen trousers. Lily was dressed in a new looking robe of velvet, though her's was a vibrant emerald green colour that matched her eyes, along with a red high-neck pullover and a long red skirt. Anyway you looked at it Draco and Lily screamed elegance, and their clothes were obviously made just for them alone and came with a dear price tag attached.  
  
'Hey, how come you two have such nice clothes and all we get is these ratty clothes?' Severus asked Draco grudgingly. Even though he somewhat knew that his parents in this world had little money, he didn't think it was fair that somehow Draco had escaped the same fate and obviously was of a higher scale then he and Remus were.  
  
'Oh, you like them, Severus? Luc bought them for us when he was here two weeks back visiting us about the wedding arraignments. He said we could both use a few new things and I agreed. Wasn't it just grand of him though?' Lily said beaming broadly whilst casting a charm that would make sure her and Draco's clothes would go wrinkle free.  
  
Draco gaped at Lily however as he heard what she said, unawares of how he'd gotten all the clothes he'd seen up in his, or rather their, room. 'Err...Luc? As in...Lucius?' he stammered now at Lily wondering why his father had anything to do with this.   
  
'Yeah silly, Lucius...you know...you're older brother? The Minister of Magic?' Lily said rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.   
  
'M-Minister of Magic?' Draco asked slipping into a light shock. 'My fa-err...brother is the Minister of Magic?'  
  
'Honestly, Drake, he's been Minister for three years now and you're acting like he's in the owl room or something!' Lily said sniffing and then gave her boyfriend an appreciative glance. 'At least _he _has impeccable taste. Can you imagine _me _wearing anything other than such fine things as your fianceé? Wouldn't that be an embarrassment! Thank Merlin he's so happy about our engagement, and got us those adorable Muggle clothes this summer so we could stay at my house without worrying about our Muggle neighbours. My parents simply adored you both you know, and Petunia has had nothing but good things to say about both of you to her boyfriend Vernon. I can't wait to meet him this Yule, he sounds peachy from what Pet told me about him!' she said happily and took Draco's arm in hers.  
  
Remus nearly choked on that information knowing full well what the Petunia and Vernon Dursley had been like during Lily's school days. The unfortunate few times Remus had met them as an adult whilst visiting Harry over the Summer before Sirius's unannounced wedding only had proved to him that they'd only gotten worse over the years. From what he remembered they hated anything 'magic' related with a passion even more than they had when they were dating as teenagers. This added information about Lucius only made things worse since Remus, Severus and Draco knew what their Lucius was like, and now he was not only the Minister of Magic, but didn't mind being round Muggles or that his son...or brother rather...was engaged to one? That information was just a bit much even for Remus to handle, let alone Draco and Severus who were still stunned into shock.  
  
'Err...you sure this is _Lucius Malfoy _we're talking 'bout, Lils?' Remus asked now hesitantly.  
  
Lily gave Remus a look that could melt ice at that. 'No, Remy, I'm talking about that idiot James Potter,' she smirked and rolled her eyes at him. 'Honestly, _of course _I'm talking about Luc, who else is my soon to be brother-in-law hmm? And here I thought women had bad memories, but right now you three take the cake, I swear!' she muttered. 'Anyway let's go, I can't wait to get into Hogsmeade! You two have you have your carry-alls right?' she asked now turning to Severus and Remus.  
  
'Our what?' Severus asked still dazed by what he'd been hearing.  
  
'Your carry-all, Severus, the thing you hold your money in? How are you going to buy anything if you don't have any money?' she said shaking her head and making tsking sounds. 'On for the love of Godric, check your robe pockets, I'm _sure _you have it somewheres on you!'   
  
Severus nodded dumbly, unsure of what Lily was talking about then surprisingly felt round in his robe and found a small black bag. Opening it up he saw ten Galleons, eight Sickles and five Knuts, not very much money at all. 'This is all I've got?' he asked in surprise.  
  
Lily took the bag and peeked in then snorted and redrew the string. 'More than enough. Be glad you've got that even, you know how hard it's been for your parents this year,' she said with a knowing sigh and patted Severus on the arm comfortingly. Turning to Remus now she asked, 'You have yours, Remus?'  
  
Remus checked round in his own robe and found a similar carry-all like Severus's. Opening it up he too only had a few Galleons, Knuts and Sickles, though he knew better than to complain about it. Nodding at Lily he redrew the string and tucked the bag back inside his robe, 'Yup, looks fine to me.'  
  
'Great, and I've got ours, luv,' Lily said nodding at Draco. 'Well then, we ready?' she asked brightly and corralled Draco over towards the portrait, Remus and Severus stepping in behind them. 'Where do you want to go first?'  
  
'Zonko's,' Remus said firmly, the old Marauder streak coming out in him.  
  
'Honeydukes,' Severus said firmly, his sweet tooth wanting to be sated since he couldn't have Remus at the moment.  
  
'Back to sleep?' Draco asked hopefully, which only earned him a grin from Severus and Remus and a glare from Lily. 'Oh all right, umm...how about the Three Broomsticks and a few pints of Butterbeer?' he said wistfully now, hoping to get very drunk after the morning he was having.  
  
Lily thought on that then shook her head. 'Honeydukes wins, I want the chocolates you promised me first. Then you three can go to Zonko's whilst I check out Gladrags, then we'll meet up and go to the Three Broomsticks,' she said with a nod.  
  
'Sounds good to me,' Draco said and gave Remus and Severus a grateful look. Lily going off on her own for a bit would give the three of them time to chat, and Draco really was looking forwards to that at the moment.   
  
Twenty minutes later they got to Hogsmeade and the three boys stared round in awe at what they were seeing. The town they were looking at now was very different than the town they had known oh so well. Some things were they shouldn't have been, or on the complete opposite side of the street from where they had been in their world. The most noticed difference in this Hogsmeade to all of them, Remus especially, was that there was no Shrieking Shack to be seen, instead all there was instead was an empty hillside where it should have been. They didn't get much time to think more on that however as Lily dragged them all over to Honeydukes quickly, oohh and ahhing over the various chocolate and sweet wizarding delights.  
  
'I'd steer off those licorice twists and go right for the chocolate frogs. Heard they finally added a card of me in there somewheres,' a jovial voice called out suddenly causing the four of them to turn round quickly in surprise.  
  
'Luc!' Lily yelled out happily and threw herself into the newcomers arms, hugging him tightly and giving him a kiss him on the cheek. 'You didn't tell us you'd be here today!' she said accusingly, though it was more in jest than anger.  
  
Lucius Malfoy hugged his soon to be sister-in-law back giving her a kiss on the cheek in return, his grey eyes sparkling with amusement. 'Do I _need _a reason to visit my favourite little brother and his lovely fianceé?' he teased.  
  
Lily giggled then rolled her eyes at him. 'Draco's your _only _brother, Luc, so of course he's your favourite. And you know you _never _need a reason to come see us, we love it when you do! How'd you manage a day off though?' she asked opening a chocolate frog only to sneer at it when she saw her card, then tossed it on the counter with a sigh. 'Sorry, Luc, only a card with a _Potter _on it. What a let down,' she muttered in disappointment.  
  
Lucius chuckled and shrugged as if he didn't really care, then went over and hugged Draco as well, to Draco's full embarrassment and surprise. Draco was more than grateful that Lucius didn't seem to notice thankfully that when he ruffled Draco's hair playfully, Draco nearly keeled over in shock. 'It's Saturday, Lils, I don't have to go into that stuffy office if I don't want to, unless it's an emergency anyway and hopefully there won't be one this week. So what's up baby brother? Hey...are those the new clothes I got you couple weeks ago? Not bad at all, looking sharp I have to say!' he said with an approving nod. Lucius himself was looking very spiffy in a robe of crushed red velvet embroidered with gold threaded patterns similar to Draco's, along with a tailored silk shirt in grey and matching grey trousers of fine cotton linen.  
  
'Glad you approve...err...Lucius,' Draco said with a trace of sarcasm in his voice. For some reason this attitude nor the looks on his 'father' was sitting very well with him.  
  
Lucius gave Draco a sharp glance at his tone of voice and his smile wavered a bit. 'Something wrong, Drake? You're not usually cold to me,' he asked curiously.  
  
Severus finally recovered himself from what he was seeing and poked Draco in the ribs, shooting him a warning glance. 'He's just having a bad day is all...err...Lucius. Don't mind him,' he said with a faked smile and held his hand out in greeting.  
  
Lucius walked over and shook Severus's hand gladly then reached over and shook Remus's hand as well, his smile renewed. 'Well that's all right then, I can imagine he's having a rough go of it knowing he's about to get married and become a father in just a few months. Which now reminds me why I'm here in the first place, I have wonderful news for you all!' he said beaming broadly.  
  
'Ohhh really?' Lily said squealing in delight, then locked her arm through Lucius's. 'Well then, let's head over to the Three Broomsticks to have a round and chat shall we?'  
  
'Lily...err dearest...I thought you said you wanted to go to Gladrags didn't you? And err...we still want to go to Zonko's...right...guys?' Draco said throwing Severus and Remus pleading looks.  
  
'Oh, right...we did want to do that, quite right,' Remus said nodding now, though still a bit dazed by all of this.  
  
'Well that's fine then, not a bother at all. I'll take Lily over to Gladrags, I need to pick up a few things myself anyways, and we'll meet you three at the Three Broomsticks in shall we say, oh half an hour?' Lucius said to Draco and the other's relief.  
  
'Sounds great...err...Lucius,' Remus said with a nod, and before anyone could say anything further he herded Severus and Draco out of Honeydukes quickly, dragging them off towards where they had last seen Zonko's to be.  
  
Just before they got to the shop however Draco seemed to recover finally and in turn now dragged Severus and Remus down a side alley of the store out of sight, glancing round to make sure no one else was lurking round to overhear them. 'That was definitely odd,' he muttered.  
  
'To say the least. Who'd have guessed Lucius would be Minister of Magic eh?' Remus said shaking his head in wonder. 'Not to mention...did you get a look at his _clothes_? I'd bet the whole eight Galleons I have in my carry-all that those cost him more than Severus and I have together!' he said almost wistfully.  
  
'Oh will you forget about my father's _clothes_?' Draco growled and glared at Remus. 'He's the _Minister of Magic_ here, and he's my...oh hell my _brother_ as well! _And _he's downright...well...' Draco began to say but trailed off trying to search for the right words.  
  
'Rich? Carefree? Charming? Good looking? Happy? Take your pick though I think that covers most of it,' Severus said dryly, causing Remus to sigh deeply and Draco to groan as if he was in severe pain.  
  
'Oh great, you're a _big _help here, Severus,' Draco said glaring at Severus now. 'Fine, yes he _is _all those things and frankly it's..._disgusting_!' he muttered.  
  
'Well if you ask me I think it's a pleasant change from the usually very obnoxious, always out-to-get-you Lucius Malfoy _I _know,' Severus said non-chalantly.  
  
'I agree, I could actually get used to a Lucius Malfoy that actually is a productive member of society,' Remus said trying to stifle a laugh.  
  
'Oh will you two quit it? Honestly this is just...I don't know..._wrong_! He's my _father _for Merlin's sake, _not _my brother!' Draco said angrily.  
  
'Does it really matter, Draco? I mean he's still a _Malfoy _right? Look at it this way, you obviously get some nice privileges in this world because of who he is, like those new clothes you're wearing,' Remus said a bit wistfully again and looked down with a sigh at his own most likely third hand outfit. 'Hmm...makes me wonder 'bout something else though...' he mused and drew out of his pocket the card that Lily had tossed aside earlier that he'd picked up for the heck of it. He frowned when he saw who it was he was now looking at, then turned the card over to read the back and shook his head slowly. 'So...it's as I thought...' he said quietly.  
  
'What is?' Draco said curiously and peered at the card, then grabbed it out of Remus's hands to stare at it. 'Oh no...no no no...' he moaned quietly as he now turned it over to read the back. 'No...no no no no...and no!' he nearly wailed. 'This _can't _be right...can it?' he asked trying to choke back a sob.  
  
'What is it? What does it say?' Severus demanded, wondering what would cause Remus and Draco to act this way. He plucked the card from Draco's hand without any resistance, since Draco was still muttering 'no no no' over and over, as well as back in a state of pure shock. He then looked down at the card himself, drawing in a sharp breath at what he was seeing and shaking his own head in confusment and wonder.   
  
On the front of the card was a picture of the boy he'd known oh-so-well the last six years, one Harry James Potter. Only in the name box of the card it read 'Harrison Seth Potter' and Severus had a bad feeling about the pairing of those particular names together. The name Harrison, or Harry, he knew meant Ruler of the Home, but it was the middle name that bothered Severus the most. If Severus was right in the translation of the name 'Seth', something was definitely very wrong here.  
  
Severus had studied Ancient Egypt quite a bit, in fact back in his own world he'd travelled there many a time and had a small cottage on the outskirts of Cairo that he liked to visit in the Summers and do research, as well as travel throughout Egypt when possible. Seth, Set or Sutek as he was also known as, was an Ancient Egyptian God and all told the names translated to nothing short of the world 'evil' in it's finest form. According to the legends, Seth rose up and killed his brother Osiris out of jealousy, taking over his brother's throne and becoming King the Underworld.   
  
Eventually however his nephew Heru, the child of Osiris and Aset, who had used her own magic to bring her husband back to life and thus conceived Heru, defeated him taking back his father's throne. After destroying Seth, Heru then went on to became Egypt's first 'living' King or what was now called the Pharaoh, ruling over his people with the kindness that his father once showed. Though most of the myth had been passed down by word of mouth, Severus got a bad feeling that something very similar to that myth could very easily take place in this world, family rising against family perhaps, at least from the way the 'Harry' on the card looked up at him with a look of nothing short of pure venom and a sneer filled with ice.  
  
The picture of the 'Harry' on the card Severus was looking at was definitely a very 'evil' looking Harry Potter, no question there. Unlike the cards in his world, this world showed a full length portrait of 'Harrison Potter', and the boy was dressed out in all black robes, with neatly styled hair, silver-framed glasses, and the rest of his clothes would have made even Severus's dour wardrobe back home look 'happy'. The boy was sitting in an elaborately carved silver chair that was in front of a banner of Slytherin House, and there was a black diamond-head cobra coiled on his lap, it's head resting on Harry's arm almost lovingly. However, it was the words on the back of the card that made his heart nearly stop mid-beat, and he had to read it twice just to be sure he was reading it correctly, simply because he just couldn't believe what he was reading could be right like Draco had said earlier.  
  


**_Master Harrison Seth Potter  
_**_  
  
Son of Lord Maximus Tomas Potter and Lady Maruska Shana Potter (deceased)  
Twin brother to Master James Maximus Potter  
Currently in his Seventh-year at Hogwarts School, Scotland  
  
Harrison, or Harry as he prefers to be called, is a renowned Dark Wizard of the Highest Order, and he already holds several of the Order of Slytherin First Class awards for his excellence in Mastering Dark Magic. A proud descendant of Salazar Slytherin, he is also an accomplished dueller with both sword and wand, and is the Seeker for the Slytherin House Quidditch Team at Hogwarts. He spends his Summers and Holidays with his Servant Peter Pettigrew at Slytherin's Hollow or they go abroad with his father and brother. _

_His favourite subjects are potion making, transfiguration, and of course anything related to the Dark Arts. He is well known to constantly spar in both sport and anger with his brother, and on any given day neither Muggle nor Mage is safe when they duel each other openly. Be wary should you come across the two of them on a day in which they decide to play!_

  
'Tell me that's not true...?' Draco said in a feeble voice.  
  
Severus sighed and slowly shook his head in disbelief, turning the card back round to look at the image again, though this time 'Harry' had already moved on. 'Sadly, Draco, I'm afraid it is. It seems this world's Harry is little more than the likes of Voldemort from our world. Capable of being just as ruthless and cruel hearted,' he said quietly.  
  
'No...I _refuse _to believe that...not our Harry...he is _not _like that...that pretender...that ogre!' Draco said argumentatively.  
  
'Harry may not be that way in our world, Draco, but right now we don't know who Harry is in this world anymore. Just as we've been getting affected by things in this world...there's every likelihood that he may also have become -' Remus began but Draco cut him off sharply.  
  
**_'NO_**! I _won't _believe that! Not _my _Harry! _My _Harry is everything that is good, brave and noble...he'd _never _hurt anyone intentionally...unless it was Voldemort, and that bastard _deserves _whatever Harry does to him! Harry would _never _agree to having some type of servant, and _especially _not Peter Pettigrew...he _hates _Pettigrew! Don't even say such horrible things about him like that!' Draco cried out angrily, and before Severus or Remus could stop him he ran out of the alleyway back to the town. Seconds later however they heard him cry out again only this time in pain, and they dashed out of the alleyway themselves, only to once again be shocked by what they were seeing.  
  
In front of them was the very person they had just been discussing, and from the looks of it, it definitely was _not _'their' Harry James Potter. This Harry was dressed out in a very dear black silk dress shirt, and black linen trousers that was clearly tailored just for him, as well as a black velvet robe richly embroidered with silver trimmings, and a pair of black dragon hide boots. He was just like in the picture on the card, his hair was neatly tapered down, and he wore the same silver-wired glasses, but it was his eyes that threw the other three boys who knew him so well. Where once those emerald green eyes held friendship, understanding, and even love, now they were cold, calculating, full of sneering contempt and pure hatred. Icy green eyes that only darkness, and they radiated power...a power that was clearly of the darkest nature.   
  
'Well well well, what do we have here?' Harry said quietly holding Draco by the arm tightly. 'What do you think I should do with you now that I've caught you...hmm..._Malfoy_?' he smirked, his gaze intensely focused on Draco's eyes for a moment. As if some sort of signal went off however he then stiffened and glanced up at three other people who now came up next to him, and he turned back to Draco with a cold sneer on his face. 'You should be more careful who you bump into, you annoying piece of Gryffindor rubbish,' he said in a voice as cold and harsh as a whip, and he tightened his grasp on Draco's arm.  
  
'Harry? Harry come on...you're hurting me...Harry please...it's Draco...don't you remember me...remember...us?' Draco pleaded, afraid now that what Severus and Remus had said earlier was becoming all too real, even though for a half a second before the other three boys had joined them, he had thought he saw some type of recognition in Harry's gaze.  
  
'That's _Master _Harry to you, you pathetic excuse of a half-breed, and don't you forget it. As for 'us'...I was a fool to follow along at the heels of such Gryffindor scum as the three of you, allowing you to led me astray by your 'pretty' words. Thankfully my Father made me see the truth before you and your 'noble' ways corrupted me any further,' Harry said darkly, and gripped Draco's arm harder causing Draco to cry out again.   
  
'Look I'm sure there's no need for - ' Remus began only to have a wand suddenly pointed at his throat by another person in the group before them.  
  
'Keep your snout out of this you meddling werewolf, no one's talking to _you_,' Sirius spat out in disgust, glaring daggers at Remus.  
  
'Oh just curse them and get this over with already, little brother, I'm anxious to move along to Gladrags. Those new clothes we specially ordered from France should be in by now, and I'd like to get them before the day is through if you don't mind,' James said lazily whilst leaning against a tree trunk.  
  
Harry smirked at James, then released Draco's arm and turned to Peter, putting an arm round him and drawing him to his side protectively. 'What do _you _think I should do with them, hmm my dearest servant? Should I put them under the Imperius and watch them beg for a while? Or perhaps a nice, slow dose of the Cruciatius Curse until they pass out from their own screams?' he said mockingly, and looked at Draco, Severus and Remus with an all too deadly amusement showing on his face from even the thought of torturing the three of them like that.  
  
Peter smirked slightly on hearing that though really he felt sorry for his old friends, not that he would dare say or do anything in front of his master. Especially not in front of James and Sirius who already were giving him dark looks after this morning's fiasco and the way Harry had protected him. 'Personally, as nice as that sounds I think I'd rather do like James said and just move on to Gladrags to see if our new things are in, Harry. After all, they're only Gryffindor half-breeds, not even good enough to waste the time or the energy on them when we could be doing...other things...with our day,' he said coyly now, and trailed his fingertips across Harry's cheek tenderly. He noticed Harry tensed a moment at the touch, but then he felt relief as Harry nodded slightly and turned to smile at Peter seductively, and Harry then leaned in and traced Peter's lips with his thumb before placing a soft kiss there and he knew that Harry had finally come back to him.   
  
Draco however watched in horror as Harry did that, then turned and was now gazing at him so intensely, so coldly that Draco shivered, as if his blood had somehow turn to ice. He tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fill his eyes, and now he thought that Severus might had indeed been right earlier, and that he'd lost _his _Harry, his only love, and would never get him back now.   
  
Something odd seemed to happen however, though neither Severus nor Remus, who were watching all this with shock and horror themselves, was sure exactly what. A strange energy seemed to pass between Harry and Draco, and then Harry somehow was no longer at Peter's side, instead had pulled Draco by his robe lapels close to him in a threatening manner, and was now looking deep into Draco's eyes with an dark, fathomless gaze. Then Harry leaned in and whispered something in Draco's ear that made Draco's eyes grow round with an unreadable expression and his breath caught in his throat. Harry then just as suddenly released Draco, throwing him to the ground roughly, a dark smirk back on his face as he looked down at the now prone Draco.   
  
'You're just lucky I'm in a good mood today and decided to listen to my servant, _Malfoy_, otherwise you and your little friends here would have been _very _sorry indeed. Now move along, and if I see you three cross my path again today, you better hope you're all running in the _other _direction. Next time I _won't _be so generous to let you go,' he said harshly, then spit on the ground next to where Draco lay. Turning back to the others he said, 'Let's go, Peter's right, I'm not going to waste a good day on bad rubbish like this.' With saying that Harry wrapped his arm back round Peter's waist and they both walked away, James and Sirius following suit, though they looked a tad bit disappointed that Harry had walked away without doing anything 'fun'.  
  
None of the three who remained moved for a few minutes however until they were sure that Harry, Peter, James and Sirius were long gone, and not coming back. Severus went over and helped Draco off the ground and then settled a worried gaze on the other boy. 'I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't think it could already be a lost cause with him, but it seems now to be the case. He's completely been changed by this world,' he said wearily.  
  
'He's so different, I can't believe that's 'our' Harry. I've _never _heard him talk like that or threaten anyone in that way, especially to use the Unforgivables, hell I didn't even know he knew them! I can't believe the pure hatred, the anger and the flat out evil that's gotten hold of him now,' Remus said sighing deeply.  
  
Draco however wasn't paying attention to their words, just staring out at nothing in particular. Then suddenly he smiled and began to laugh softly, nodding in approval at something the others weren't aware of. 'Clever...very clever. So that's how it is to be eh?' he said more to himself then the others.  
  
'Draco, what the hell are you talking about?' Severus demanded. Draco didn't seem at all bothered now by his treatment from Harry, nor about any of what had happened.  
  
'I'd like to know what you're saying too, Draco. Who's clever and 'bout what?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
Draco only shook his head and turned to face the others, a knowing smile on his face. 'You'll find out soon, I promise. Anyway, don't we have to meet up with my Fa-err...brother and Lily now? It's got to be close to half an hour since we saw them last, and no doubt they'll probably be worried about us if we don't show up soon,' he said still smiling, then began to head off towards the Three Broomsticks whistling, the whole incident already long forgotten from his mind apparently.  
  
Remus and Severus looked at each other confused now, and shook their heads. 'He's losing it, Sev,' Remus said in an odd voice.  
  
Severus sighed and nodded. 'Maybe...yes...but maybe not. Somehow I get the feeling there's more to this then you and I have been led to believe, Remus,' he said curiously.  
  
'Like what? Clearly Harry is already been taken over, just as we are becoming affected. Draco seems however to be immune...that's what I find puzzling here,' Remus said.  
  
Severus snorted and looked over to where Draco was already disappearing from view. 'Perhaps that's because Draco already has dealt with his demons, unlike the rest of us.'  
  
'What's _that _supposed to mean?' Remus demanded to know.  
  
'It means...that if I'm right...this world isn't just the _mirror image _of our world, Remus. This world was also created from all of our own fears, our desires, our dreams and even our lost hopes. This world somehow created these personas of all of us from what we ourselves have hidden away deep within our souls, of who we are and what we are, and what we wish never was or should have been. It's trying to get us somehow to believe that this is who _we _wanted to be, where we wanted to be, and what we should have been in our world...what our _souls _really wanted, you see?' Severus said quietly.  
  
Remus thought on that a moment then nodded in understanding. 'I think I do see what you're getting at. Harry would be easiest to 'corrupt' here because he's so often presented with the choices between right and wrong in our world. He constantly fights himself from becoming dark because he knows he _is _capable of it, because of the powers he did get from Voldemort. He's constantly afraid of turning into what he fears the most...a servant of the evil, but in his heart...deep down...that is who he is, and what he may have really wanted. To stop fighting himself and just let it all go, no more choices to make,' Remus said heavily.  
  
'Exactly. Harry once told you he could have gone to Slytherin House right? He knows from Dumbledore that he's got some of Voldemort's powers, and in our world he fights to stay true to his true Gryffindor blood-line, because he's afraid. He's just a boy though, and as mature as he has been forced to become, he still has the fears of a child, Remus, the fears that one day...the evil _will _win, and he _won't _be able to stop it,' Severus said quietly.  
  
Remus sighed and nodded in agreement. 'I think we're not as affected yet because, though we still fight against our darker sides, my being a werewolf, you're being a vampire, a spy and a ex-death eater, we have come to _some _terms with it. We've accepted it as a part of us. even though we hate what we are, but we know it's what we are and _nothing _will change it. What I just don't get is why Draco hasn't succumbed just as easily as Harry has. Look at what he comes from, who _he _is, and yet he doesn't seem to have any memories yet, nor has shown any signs of forgetting our world like we are beginning to,' Remus said still very puzzled about that fact.   
  
'That's actually simple now that I think about it, it makes sense anyway in what I'm thinking. Draco hasn't succumbed yet because he has almost nothing left to fight against within his soul. In our world he already had made peace with himself, even the fact that he's a half-breed, though I'm not a hundred percent sure on that point yet since he hadn't told Harry about it obviously before we got here. That is now in the open though and dealt with, so maybe that's not even an issue any longer. Personally I think his relationship with Harry would have had to have been his biggest fear, more than anything else,' Severus said thoughtfully.   
  
'That would definitely rate the top of the list I'd say,' Remus said nodding in agreement. 'But would it be enough to keep him from getting changed by this world?' he asked curiously.  
  
'Maybe, though I think too that in our world he had already casted off all his darker aspirations, no longer allowing his father or Voldemort to rule his life, and letting Harry's love fulfil his needs. All that Draco does now in our world is _hides _his 'good' side, not fights _against _it, and he apparently has no problem for the moment in hiding so it's not even an issue to worry over for him. Therefore this world hasn't much to really change him into what he thinks he wants instead of what he already does have back home, if that makes sense?' Severus asked.  
  
'Hmm...you could have a point there, Severus, you're right, it does makes sense. I think of all of us, Draco's got the best chance of getting us out of here, if he manages to survive Lily and everything that's being thrown his way. I could tell it really hurt him seeing Harry turn like this. For that matter it breaks my own heart, cariadau,' Remus sighed.  
  
Severus nodded and pulled Remus into his arms, holding him tenderly. 'If Harry is already out of the picture as I fear he is, then it'll be up to us...or like you said maybe even just Draco...to find the way home. Somehow though we'll get away from here, Remus. Somehow we'll get all of us home and back to what should be _normal_, and then we can forget this nightmarish world even existed.'  
  
Remus sighed then turned to look Severus in the eyes. 'And forget 'bout _us _as well? 'Bout what _we _have here?' he asked quietly.  
  
Severus slowly shook his head and softly smiled at Remus, a tender look in his eyes. 'No, cariadau, that's the one thing I _don't _want to ever forget from this world. I don't know if we will remember what's happened here when we get home, or what will happen after we do get home, but I know that I _won't _want to lose you again. I know it's only been a short time, but it's like the past twenty some years of hatred and fears never happened between us, and you're where you should have been all along...in my arms and my life,' he said softly.  
  
Remus smiled and snuggled deeper into Severus's warm, tender embrace, sighing in contentment. 'And that's where I always hope to be, fy fampir, beunydd a byth,' he said happily, and leaned up to kiss Severus softly on the lips a moment before leaving his lovers arms. Then the two of them walked off towards the Three Broomsticks, hand in hand, happiness in their eyes, and contentment in their hearts.   
  
What they didn't know was that a pair of eyes had been watching them, eyes that were surprisingly warm and kind, happy even at what they had seen. 'It's as it should be for those two, I'm glad,' the person said quietly nodding as if in approval. Then the person looked over longingly at were he knew the Three Broomsticks would be even if he couldn't see it exactly, and a heated look of arousal came into his eyes now. 'Until tonight then my lover...' the person whispered under his breath to the wind, knowing the person he was speaking to would somehow have heard what he was saying, even if it wasn't by ear, but by heart.  
  
'Love?' a voice asked quietly from behind him now, startling him and causing him to mutter a few oaths under his breath.  
  
Turning round the boy who had been watching the three people who'd walked off earlier now saw who had spoken to him, and a look of resentment flickered across his face. 'Don't you dare say a word to anyone of what that you saw me here, or you know that I'll have to punish you again,' the boy said now in cold voice, giving the other boy an intense, dark, mistrusting gaze.  
  
The second boy nodded quickly, then smiled hesitantly. 'Have I ever revealed your secrets, luv?' the second boy said in a placating tone of voice, then turned towards where Severus and Remus had walked off to. 'They do look so happy together though, don't they? They're lucky to have each other,' he said with a slight sigh.  
  
The first boy didn't say anything, just looked at the second boy speculatively a moment, then after a short debate with himself he put his arm round the second person's waist. Just as Severus had done with Remus earlier, the boy drew the second boy into a tender embrace, then leaned in and gently placed a small and gentle kiss on the second boy's lips. He knew it would please the other boy greatly to even get such a tiny kiss after being denied for so long, even if he himself didn't like it, but right now it was something he had to do for his own reasons.   
  
'Not as lucky as _I _am to have _you, _my heart. Now, let's get over to Honeydukes before they do. We don't want those two to buy up all of _our _favourite sweets before _we _get the chance to get _theirs _now do we?' he said almost teasingly, the second boy grinning and nodding in agreement. The first boy then led the second boy away towards the sweets shop, his arm still resting round firmly round the other boy's waist. The look now on his face showed clearly to anyone who saw them that the second person belonged to him and him alone, as it should be. Then again, things really never are as they should be...are they...?  
  


**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_**

:sigh: I know some of you really want these 'translations' within the story, but I just have issues 'inserting' them like that. If you really want me to I will if it will make it easier, since the Welsh will come back up in future chaps, let me know what you want all right or rather which is easier for you :)  
  
Meanwhile here's the translations of the words in this chap:  
  
Cariadau - lover  
Cymraeg - Welsh (as in the 'language' Welsh)  
Tybed? - Is that so?  
Fy annywl bleddion - My dear werewolf  
Bleddion - a male werewolf  
Fy annywl fampire - My dear vampire  
Fampire - Vampire (easy one eh? :P)  
Myrddin - Merlin  
Tadau - Father  
Mamau - Mother  
Fy fampir - My vampire   
Beunydd a byth - For ever and ever

  
**_  
_**_October 10, 2002__ 2:10__ AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy_


	8. Meetings Of A Clandestine Nature?

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
**  
This chappie is dedicated to two wonderful mates: Angela and Lady Geuna. Cheers, hugs and smooches luvs! :)  
  
All right I've decided to add in this little tidbit (which is a slight 'spoiler' here but needed :sigh: I warn you all now, this fic is my typical 'at least-one-time-per-fic-must-make-Harry-feel-guilty' chapter. Yes he is going to be a very bad boy in this chap, though as you will find out it's not all 'his' fault. Before you killed though please remember…those who do know me know that I never have ended a fic 'badly', and true love ALWAYS triumphs in the end! :grins:**

**On another note, I guess no one's really interested in a Sev/OCF fic, not that I mind because I'm going to write it anyway heh…but most do not apparently like to see lovely Sev being completely het :mutters: but if anyone does please check out 'When I'm Sixty-Four' (or it's 'alternate' story It's Called a Heart at http://stories.com/authors/piriotessa). I'll keep WISF up over here at FFN, though I dare say that once I finish editing the first 9 chaps I already have written I'll see what happens from there. Might just go back to the 'original' fic that I know was well received, though I wanted to re-edit It's Called a Heart and provide more 'background'…guess people didn't want that :sighs: Anyway if you want to meander on over to WISF, I'd love some feedback (for those who will tolerate Sev being het anyway :P) It's not really a Sev/OCF right now, more like his POV side of things. Why he's been dismissed, what led him to the stage and decisions he did, and so on, so forth, etc. If anyone is screwed up then that's the fic for one very messed up Sev :P**

**Anyway, I hope to have chap 10 of Mirrorverse out within a few days (hopefully perhaps by tomorrow night or Thursday tops) so keep an eye out ****J ****Tara**** for now mates!**

**  
**  
**_Cheers to:  
  
_Switch Shift, Silverwolf, Temptress **(Don't worry, Sev's just an untrusting soul over all, and he knows more than anyone what it's like to get tempted to the dark. He has faith in Harry, but he knows Harry's fighting harder then all of them is all :( Yup, I do know a bit about Merlin, and I'm sorry I've been so lousy in email answers :sigh: been a hell Summer glad it's finally getting over! :P As to what he told Draco...you'll find out soon :grins: Fluffies!), **VeronicaQ**(Scabbers is sooo happy! :giggles: he says cheers back!)  
  
**Shades **(feeling better I hope luv? Ah, Petunia heh you'll be hearing more on that issue :P I like the name Seth too, sadly though in Egyptian history the God was a bastard :gaze up: Ah well...Ah now who it was at the end...you'll see! :nod:), **Kday2 **(already looking ahead to when they go back to their world eh? :chuckle: you'll see what happens not what you think that's for sure! :nod nod: I'm glad you like the Welsh, I think it's such a lovely language, I adore the ancient 'Briton' languages such as Welsh and Gaelic, etc. Truly wondrous to hear spoken :nod:), **Lady Geuna **(:hugs luv!:), **Fanny Chan**, **WildfireFriendship****, MistyK **(heh Luc was a last min decision, but glad to know I decided right! :P), **Nagini**(you'll find out :nod nod:), **Mr**** Foxkins **(you're not the only one, seems everyone likes this dark!Harry more than I thought! :giggles: ah says a lot about us eh? :giggles:), **Angela y Rosie **(:hugs and smooches: By now I hope you got your card?), **Slone **(:tickles: glad you like the Welsh too!), **Random S **(ah my adorable uke girl...don't worry there's more I promise! :giggles:)  
  
**MiniMe**(theory is that this world is a reversal of the 'expected' what should be isn't, what shouldn't be simply is. If 'evil' is 'good', then by law you would assume that 'good' becomes 'bad', white becomes black, etc, etc. except there's a bit more to it in this case. The real question here is: is this world all even 'real' or is there something that the boys are missing...? :whistles: Actually I have a chappie that I already wrote that will give you an idea what I mean, but it's way way too soon to put it out...food for thought later :grins: I kept Godric being good and Salazar being evil on the principle that good is bad, I wanted them to be where they shouldn't have been...if I made Godric 'evil' then I'd have had no reason to put Harry into Slyth which would have been one of his 'fears' now wouldn't it? :grins: There's a fine queue I think between 'dark' and 'evil', a 'darker' Harry over an evil!Harry is nicer, I don't think Harry should ever be really 'evil'...but definitely 'darker'! :nod nod: As for the translations, I'll think on that yup, good idea! I'll try to stick to just using words over phrases, this way I won't have to go into a whole 'translation' thing, we'll see. I agree though, I hate interruption the 'flow' just to put in A/N's, it loses the feeling I think :P By the by, why Draco isn't lusting after Lily is going to be explained too...there is a rhyme and reason for everything in this world, even hidden agendas! :giggles:)  
  
  
  
Surprisingly there was only one person who actually guessed at the pairing at the end correctly...so to her I give - Fluffy Buggies! :giggles: As to who was watching and what his words meant...:whistles:...read on, you'll be finding out very, very soon!   
  


**_  
~~Chapter Eight: Meetings Of A Clandestine Nature?~~  
  
_**

  
Harry was bored, and that at this particular moment in time, was not a good thing all told. It made him antsy and cranky, and that in turn made him temperamental, as the Gladrags worker was finding out all too quickly when she produced the clothing that had just come in from France as ordered. Harry took one look at the item he now held in his hands however, and didn't even stop to think, it was like something...or someone rather...took him over again.  
  
'I told you I wanted this dress shirt in black _Voile_,' Harry said scathingly now to the girl, who was now cowering as he then glared coldly at her. 'This...' he hissed holding out the offending shirt, is made of deep blue _Organdy_. It is not only the wrong colour, but Organdy is a material for women's blouses and dresses, not men's dress shirts. Do I look like a woman to you, you imbecile?'  
  
'N-no, M-Master Harry, of course not. I...err...t-there must have just...err...been a m-mistake on the order form. I-I'll have it fixed it right a-away,' the woman stammered and took the shirt from Harry's hand.  
  
'See that you do, or I'll start taking my business elsewhere,' Harry snapped, and watched as the woman scampered off towards the back of the shop still cowering.  
  
'You're in a right mood, what's wrong, Harry? Not like you to get so upset over simple fabrics,' Peter asked curiously.  
  
Harry scowled and turned to Peter, a dark look in his eyes. 'When I want something done, I want it done correctly, Peter, not half-arsed. Can you really see me wearing something like _that_? It's appalling to even _look _at the thing let alone _wear _it!' he muttered.  
  
Peter chuckled and then came over and began to massage Harry's shoulders lightly. 'You're too tense today, luv, maybe we should just skip the rest of this and just head over to Honeydukes eh? Some of your favourites would be just the ticket I think,' he said firmly.  
  
Harry closed his eyes a moment and relaxed into the massage, then shook his head and stepped away from Peter, turning to face him. 'Maybe you're right, I am a bit stressed today. Let's go, this can wait, I want some chocolates and Licorice Twists, among other things. That will perk me up I'm sure,' he said now smiling at Peter.  
  
Peter chuckled and nodded, then together they walked out the door of Gladrags when Harry suddenly realised something and stopped short. 'Where's James and Sirius?' he asked curiously.  
  
Peter shrugged and looked back at the shop, wondering the same thing now. 'Don't know, I thought they were right behind us when we got here.'  
  
Harry thought on that a moment then shook his head. 'No, only Sirius was with us, James wasn't. Now Sirius is gone as well, I wonder what they're up to?' he mused, tensing up again and glancing round as if he was hoping to spot the pair.  
  
Peter looked at Harry curiously for a moment then shrugged. 'Knowing those two, something nasty no doubt. I wouldn't worry about it, I'm sure we'll catch up to them at some point. Let's get to Honeydukes before they have a chance to buy up all the good stuff eh?' he said now and started to head off towards the sweets shop.  
  
Harry didn't follow right away however, he had a bad feeling about James and Sirius going missing, though he didn't know why that was yet. Shrugging it off however he continued on towards Honeydukes, a lot on his mind. When he noticed the gilded rooftop of the Three Broomsticks in the distance an odd smile came to his face and suddenly the day was beginning to look a bit brighter. That was until someone reached out and grabbed by the arm, pulling him into a small alleyway next to a cottage that was dark enough for the person who was kidnapping him not to be seen yet.  
  
Harry was about to say something but the person put a hand over his mouth, and even in the darkness of the alleyway he could see the person shaking their head. The person dragged Harry off and didn't stop until they got to the very back of the alley, and then did something very strange. Taking his wand out he tapped on a brick wall and quietly said the words, '_Mysta__ Auris_', and suddenly the wall disappeared and the person dragged Harry through a now open archway that led to a darkened corridor.   
  
Harry instinctively stepped through the archway into a dark corridor, and turned round as the other person now stepped through himself. The other person had already closed the arch so the room was darker than the alleyway had been, and Harry had to blink to adjust to the lack of lighting. Before he could say anything however he was pressed back against the wall roughly and then a very hungry, needful pair of lips found his.  
  
'You scared the hell out of me you twit,' he said breathlessly, pulling back from the not-supposed-to-be-so-wonderfully-dizzying kiss after a few moments.  
  
The other person chuckled. 'Beats being bored though doesn't it? It looked like you could use some excitement anyway,' the person said smugly.  
  
Harry laughed and nodded. 'That it does. Where the hell are we though?' he asked now curiously.  
  
'Ah, you mean the great 'Master Harry' doesn't know everything eh?' the person chuckled.  
  
'Oh sod off, where are we?' Harry muttered.   
  
The person only chuckled again and took Harry by the hand, leading him down a short corridor that ended at a wooden door with an black iron handle in the shape of a lion. The person lifted the handle and pulled open the door, then walked in the room, Harry wandering in behind him. _'Luminos_,' the person then said, and Harry's breath caught in this throat as a few candelabras flickered up, throwing the room into a soft, golden glow.   
  
Glancing round the room Harry was a bit impressed, he hadn't expected anything like this to be hiding behind a wall in Hogsmeade at any rate. Obviously it once had belonged to someone from Gryffindor, as the Gryffindor House banner was displayed proudly on one wall, above a queen-sized bed that also had a duvet on it with the Gryffindor House crest. A small bookshelf was in one corner along with an oak desk, and on the walls hung tapestries of famous battles of this world in which good actually had won. The rest of the furnishings were simple, some chairs and a small settee though no fireplace. Decked out in reds and golds it was certainly a well kept secret this place, and from the looks of it was still in use, or as if it was ready to be used again, though Harry couldn't image by whom and for what purpose.  
  
'Peter...what is this place?' he asked now turning to his 'captor', a saw that Peter was already flopping down on the bed looking at him with a grin.  
  
'A well guarded secret,' Peter said smugly.  
  
'I think you have been hanging round James and Sirius too long, Peter, either that or you are truly turning into a Slytherin,' Harry said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. 'Seriously though, where are we?'  
  
Peter looked at Harry speculatively a moment in decisiveness, then nodded as apparently he finally did decide what he was going to say. 'I can trust you...right, Harry?' he asked quietly now.  
  
Harry looked back at him in debate himself, for right now he knew he had to be very careful what he did and said. 'I'm you're Master, Pete, if you can't trust _me _then who can you trust?' he said.  
  
Peter nodded, accepting that answer. 'True. All right then, I'll tell you where we are. You know my parents were tagged as...traitors...right?' he said hesitantly.  
  
Harry nodded. 'Yeah I remember, and?' he asked.  
  
Peter sat up and fidgeted, turning his gaze down to his hand which were now clasped in his lap. 'Before Lord...before _he_...' he began with a slight shiver, 'found them, they were on the run for a while. Places like this were part of the underground movement by the resistance, used to temporarily shelter those who needed it. They stayed here for two weeks before it became unsafe and they had to move on. The person who's house this is attached to is what we call a 'Benedict', a Slytherin who switched sides and would help the resistance in secret, spying or whatever was needed. I was able to see my parents whilst they were here a few times before they moved on, thanks to Professor Riddle, but when they left here...I never saw them again...they were caught a week later by _him_...and executed,' he sighed.  
  
'Oh...Peter...I'm...I'm so-err...oh hell, I _am _sorry, Peter,' Harry said quietly, and went over to sit down on the bed next to Peter.   
  
Peter smiled softly. 'I'll take that 'sorry', only because I know you really do mean it. Just don't make a habit of it all right?' he teased.  
  
Harry chuckled and nodded. 'Right. Is this room still in use though these days?' he asked now curiously, then glanced round again.  
  
Peter shook his head. 'No, it's not really needed anymore now that..._he_...is gone. But Mr. Argent, he's man who owns the house, is getting it ready again. If what the resistance thinks is true...if your father really is going to...to bring _him _back...then the room might be needed again. Professor Riddle wanted me to check on it to make sure it was ready anyway, just in case, though I wasn't sure how I was going to until I saw you looking so bored. Figured...err...it would be a perfect time for it,' he said grinning sheepishly.  
  
Harry grinned. 'Well you certainly know how to make an otherwise boring afternoon more exciting, Peter, give you that.'  
  
'Actually...Harry...I _was _hoping to...spice it up...even more so...' Peter said looking up at Harry hesitantly.  
  
Harry didn't need to translate what Peter meant by that, he knew full well what was meant. He looked at Peter for a moment and saw the needy, and very pleading look in Peter's eyes, and listened as he could hear Peter's breathing was beginning to already speed up from already flushed excitement. Harry looked away and swallowed hard, his mind racing in a thousand directions, unsure of what to do, but knowing he had to make a decision and quickly.   
  
Closing his eyes he tried to stop himself from the betraying thoughts he was now having, and then tried to focus on something else, or rather someone else, a silvery-blonde headed boy whom he needed right now more than anything in the world. Unfortunately as he began to think of his blonde-haired lover, a wave of sudden agonizing pain shot through him, and he fell off the bed to his knees with a strangled cry.  
  
'H-Harry? Luv what is it? What's wrong?' Peter said worriedly.  
  
'Stay...back...' Harry managed to breathe through gritted teeth, before another round of pain assaulted him when he again tried to focus on Draco. The more he tried to think of Draco in the hopes of taking away the pain, the more agonizing the pain became. He found that he couldn't think anymore, couldn't barely even breath any longer it hurt so bad. Finally he could take no more, and falling forwards on his hands he screamed. **_'NOOO_**!'  
  
**_'_****_HARRY_**! Oh Merlin, Harry...what's wrong?' Peter cried out now, scrambling off the bed to kneel besides Harry, putting his hand on Harry's back trying to comfort him. 'Oh please, luv...what's wrong? What's going on?' he said half sobbing.  
  
Harry gasped as he felt Peter's hand touch him, and found that the moment Peter did that a searing flame shot through him, one he was positive he didn't want to feel. He became dizzy, the room spinning round him, and he felt the world slow down and become sluggish. Time seemed to stop then, and words floated into his mind, words he now remembered.   
  
_*You can stop the pain, Harry. Stop fighting yourself...*  
  
*Just let the powers guide you, accept them, embrace who you are and what you can do...*  
  
*Stop fighting yourself...you can't win...*  
  
_'I can win...' Harry whispered into the air, then he closed his eyes and shivered, trying to fight back the words. 'I can fight this...I have to...' he whispered again, but as he did so another round of pain washed over him and he groaned in agony. He was tired, so very tired now, and the pain was taking all of his energy, draining him.   
  
_*Stop fighting it, Harry. This is who you are, who you were meant to be. Forget the half-breed, he is nothing, can be nothing to you. Your servant is whom you need now...take him...use him...control him...he's yours to do with as you wish...*  
_  
**_'NO_**! I will not! I will _not _forget!' Harry screamed out angrily at the invading voice, another round of pain wracking his body.  
  
_*Don't be a fool, Harry. Fighting who you are will only result in more pain, is that what you want?*_  
  
'_WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY_!' Harry cried out.  
  
_*The more you refuse to accept who you are, the more you will suffer. Stop the foolishness, stop thinking you can save the world...be who you were born to be, Harrison Potter. You are the only one who can stop the pain...no one else. You are the darkness, Harry...the sooner you accept that the sooner the pain will fade...*_  
  
'No...you're...you're wrong...' Harry sobbed, trying desperately to bring Draco back into his mind but failing miserably.  
  
_*You see? You can't even remember the half-breed anymore, because he can mean nothing to you. You are a prince of the darkness and soon enough you will be ruler of all. You're stronger, more powerful than your father ...you are now even as powerful as Dumbledore was...you do not belong with the light, Harry. Forget the half-breed, you don't need him...the only one you need is your servant...your body aches with need and you can satisfy that with your servant. Why look to a half-breed who doesn't want you?*_  
  
'He does...he does want...me...I _know _he does...' Harry said, suddenly unsure even of what he was saying.  
  
_*Enough that he marries the Mudblood? That she bears his child?*  
  
'W-what?_ N-no...no...you're mistaken! He isn't...who...what child...?' Harry said in shock now.  
  
_*Ha! He doesn't care for you, only for that Mudblood Evans girl. You think he loves you when he sleeps with the her? When it's her name he calls out in the night? Her bed he sleeps in? When he fathered her child?*_  
  
'He...he wouldn't...he didn't...' Harry said angrily now, his thoughts becoming a tangled jumble of two different worlds. In the end he found that only this world was tangible, that this world was the _real _world, and images again of his life here become all too solid. The places in this world, the people in it, the lies and deceits becoming the only truths.  
  
_*Ah, but he most certainly did. Whilst you have been neglecting your adoring, faithful, loving servant, going behind his back with the half-breed, he has still been bedding the girl...impregnating her with his seed with the full intentions of marrying her*_  
  
'No...he...that bastard...he lied to me! He swore he loved me..._me_...not the Mudblood! I'll kill him for this...I'll kill him for betraying me like this!' Harry cried out now in anger, his green eyes blazing with a clouded, drug-like rage.  
  
He remembered it all now, remembered how he had professed his love to the Gryffindor only a week before, positive of his feelings for the other boy. Of how he had for the past month been meeting him in secret, in an unused guest room on the third floor for a night of fulfilled passions. How he had been deliberately avoiding Peter in favour of the sliver-haired boy, placing sleeping spells on Peter so that he wouldn't know Harry was missing. How he had believed that the other boy loved him in return, only to find now that certainly wasn't the case. Harry had been lied to, cheated on, made a fool of by a lowly Gryffindor, and he didn't like that one bit.  
  
_*You can make it right now, you can fix this. Your servant needs you...as you need him now. He is yours to do with as you see fit, he alone bears your claim mark, wears the Potter Servant's Ring...you're personal Servant's Ring. Take him to bed and use him, Harry, use his body to take out your angers and frustrations...make him pay for the betrayals of his old Gryffindor friends...*_  
  
'Yes...I see that now...I was foolish...this _is _who I am...and those who go against _me _will suffer for it...' Harry said in a low, dangerous voice. He suddenly felt strange, no longer himself. Power coursed through him, anger filled him, need and desire flooded him, and he knew now the voice within him spoke true. The world then sped back up, returning to normal, and Harry got up from his hands and knees quickly. He then reached down and pulled Peter up and into his arms, looking at him with an intense, dark gaze.  
  
'H-Harry? Are...are you all right now?' Peter asked hesitantly.   
  
Harry nodded. 'More all right then I've been in a long time I think, Peter. Now, I believe you said something about 'spicing up' my afternoon, hmm? I warn you now though...I _fully _intend to hold you to that,' he smirked, and before Peter could even reply he was kissing him with a harsh, lusting need that surprised even himself.  
  
'Harry...oh, Harry...' Peter breathed ecstatically, thrilled that for the first time in what seemed like forever Harry was again wanting him back in his arms.  
  
'You're mine, Peter Pettigrew, _mine_, no one else's...my servant!' Harry said hoarsely, and then pulled Peter into the bed, his thoughts now on only revenge and the heated, angry desires that needed desperately to be fulfilled.  
  
It would be hours later when Harry would wake up from a light sleep, finally coming back to his senses, and realising what had happened. Lying there in bloody, sweaty, cum soaked sheets he couldn't believe what he just had done. That he had succumbed to the darkness like he had. He felt so dirty, so ashamed, and he could barely breath with the stabs of sadness and guilt that filled him. He realised now that what had happened earlier, the voice that had been speaking to him causing this mess, was only a manifestation of his worst fears. That somehow it had managed to pray on him at an all too vulnerable moment, forcing him to give in.   
  
Thankfully Peter was still asleep yet, Harry could tell as much by the light breathing he was hearing, and now looking over at Peter he gasped at what he saw. During their daytime tryst it was clear to him that he had been more out of control then even he thought he had been, and Peter now bore the brunt of that. There were blood caked gashes, bites and obvious fingernail shaped half-moons covering Peter's body. Criss-crossing all over his chest, arms, legs, neck and stomach like an animal had attacked him, and to all intent purposes that's what Harry felt like he had been.  
  
Harry paled slightly, sickened by the thought that he had been responsible for this, that he had practically raped Peter more than anything else. The more he lay looking at what he'd done, there the more of what fully had happened started to filter back to him, and with a tiny sob he knew now what he had been like. He had taken all that anger, fear, and flat out pure rage of what that voice had said, and turned it on Peter to the worst possible extremes. Not even because he could do that as his 'master', but as punishment because Peter had once been a 'Gryffindor', and Harry had wanted him to indirectly pay for Draco's supposed 'betrayals'.  
  
He remembered now how brutal he had been to Peter, taking him without even preparing him, without even using any lubrication to ease things. No, he had been too angry, too much in needed lust for that, he had abused Peter knowing that he wouldn't fight him back, wouldn't cry out, and would do whatever Harry had wanted of him. Harry silently groaned as he remember that he hadn't even let Peter find release until he himself had been fully sated first. Until he had caused Peter enough pain to satisfy the rage, until he had taken Peter so hard that Peter had bled freely, the blood running down his legs in rivulets onto the bedsheets. And only once Peter was enough pain and agony, when he was sobbing, even hoarse scream of agonizing relief.  
  
Turning away from Peter he was nauseated by his actions, in all his life he had never been as cruel as he had been to Peter this day. What made everything even worse was that he had betrayed Draco, that he had done the unthinkable in bedding Peter, even if Harry hadn't quite been 'himself' at the time. He was afraid now too, because he knew he was going to have to tell Draco what happened, he was too guilt-ridden to hold something like this inside, not for long anyway. Draco knew him too well, and something like this would weigh on Harry's mind to the point where Draco would be able to spot that something was wrong a kilometre away.  
  
'Harry? You awake yet?' a soft voice said now in concern.  
  
Harry turned back to Peter hesitantly, he hadn't noticed Peter had woken up as lost in his thoughts as he had been. 'Yes, I am,' he replied in a tight, guilt-laced voice.  
  
'You all right, luv?' Peter asked worriedly now.  
  
Harry sighed. 'I think I'm the one that should be asking you that, Peter. I'm...I'm sorry, Peter...I'm so sorry...' he said in a choked voice.  
  
Peter moved against Harry, taking him into his arms and kissing Harry on the cheek tenderly. 'There's nothing to be sorry about, luv. I'll be fine...'  
  
'No, Peter, how could you be? I did nothing short of raping you!' Harry said in a strangled voice, again feeling ashamed of himself, feeling like nothing short of a criminal.  
  
'Harry...oh, Harry, luv...no you didn't. True you've never been quite so...err...well, angry for some reason with me - ' Peter began but Harry cut him off.  
  
'I wasn't angry with _you_, Peter, trust me on this. It...it was something else, something I can't exactly explain to you really. It doesn't matter, you should hate me for this, be disgusted...angry...anything but understanding!' Harry said guiltily.  
  
Peter leaned up on his hands and looked down at Harry, brushing a lock of Harry's hair off his forehead. 'What good what it do me if I were angry with you, Harry. That's even if I was, which I'm not. You haven't touched me in over a month now, you've avoided me...ignored me...why would I be angry when I finally have you back in my arms? I've missed you so much, luv, I could _never _be angry with you no matter what you do. I...I love you...Harry...' he said quietly, his eyes showing exactly that emotion.  
  
Harry sighed. 'Oh, Peter...' he said softly, and reached up to put his hand on Peter's scratched cheek.   
  
Peter smiled tenderly at him though, turning his face so that he could kiss Harry's palm tenderly for a moment. 'I know you can't love me back...not really. I never expected you too. I'm just happy knowing that you want me again, that I can be there for you, and I've enough love for us both, Harry, always will,' he said quietly.  
  
'You're unbelievable, Peter Pettigrew,' Harry said staring at him now. 'You know that?'  
  
'Oh? How so?' Peter asked confused.  
  
'After what I just did to you...you still love me. You still want me...I caused you pain...suffering...and yet you _still _love me. You're either incredibly mental or insanely suicidal...' he said shaking his head slowly.  
  
Peter laughed and shook his head. 'Nope, just in love, Harry, just in love. Happens that it's with _you _is all, go figure eh? A lowly Gryffindor who's parents were traitors, somehow ensnared and bewitched one of, if not the most powerful dark wizard of the century. Heh, maybe I _am _mental eh?' he grinned.  
  
Harry laughed and nodded back. _'Definitely _mental. Look...we better get back, by now James and Sirius, as well as everyone else, are probably wondering what happened to us,' he said with a slight groan.  
  
'Yeah, it's late, probably close to supper by now even. Not that anyone would dare ask where we've been though eh?' Peter said then made an attempt to get out of the bed, however he didn't get more than half a centimetre out before he moaned softly in pain.  
  
'Peter?' Harry asked in concern, then throwing the duvet off got a better look at why Peter had been moaning. Sucking in a deep breath and exhaling sharply he saw why that was, and cringed again in both guilt, and anger at himself for what he'd done. Peter's lower body was caked in blood, and large purplish bruises were forming all up and down his thighs. Taking the risk Harry gently turned Peter halfway over and paled again, almost turning green from what he saw. Peter's lower half was nothing short of a raw, bloody mess, and what skin wasn't clawed, bitten and bloodied was turning purplish.   
  
'Oh Gods...Peter...' Harry said nearly throwing up now. 'Oh, Peter what have I _done _to you?' he said choking back a sob.  
  
'Harry...don't...don't all right? This is what I'm - ' Peter began to say in a tight voice, only to be cut off again by Harry.  
  
'Don't you _dare _give me that 'I'm-your-servant-so-you-can-do-whatever-you-please-to-me' crap, Peter Pettigrew!' Harry said angrily. 'You _didn't _deserve this, not from me...not from anyone!'  
  
'Right now that doesn't matter, Harry! We have to get back to the castle before they come looking for us, that's what matters right now, all right? I'll survive...just help me get up,' Peter bit back, though his voice was clearly more in pain then angry.  
  
'Wait,' Harry said, then quickly walked over to his robe and pulled out his wand. As gently as he could he used the few healing spells he knew to clean up at least the blood, and try to heal some of the bruises best he could. 'When we get back you're going straight to Madam Pomfrey and get the rest healed,' he said firmly.  
  
'No!' Peter said quickly, shaking his head rapidly. 'No...I can't do that.'  
  
'What? Why not?' Harry said both confused and angry that Peter wouldn't do this.  
  
'She'd ask questions, dammit you know how nosy she is! No...I'll...I'll talk to Severus...he's got healing potions...pain potions I can take, and he won't say anything. He's always been discreet when things have gotten this way,' Peter said, finally getting out of the bed, and with a few winces began to slowly get dressed.  
  
'Hold up here...do you mean to say this has happened...before?' Harry said astonished now.  
  
Peter turned and gave Harry an odd gaze. 'Well...it's never been quite _this _bad before...but...aw hell, Harry, sometimes you do tend to ahh...well get a bit rough, I just don't always let you know it, that's all,' he said apologetically.  
  
Harry just shook his head dazed, he just could not believe this day was getting worse by the minute. Unfortunately he couldn't say anything to Peter either, not now anyway, not when he was supposed to be the 'Harry' of this world. 'Let's go, Peter, we need to go,' was all he could say now, and finished getting dressed himself.  
  
'Yeah, I wouldn't want them to find this place, that's for sure. Not when it might be needed again soon,' Peter said sadly.  
  
Harry turned back and looked at Peter for a moment, debating what to say to him on that. 'Peter, I will do what I can...while I can anyway...to make sure that my...Father...doesn't bring back his 'master'. I _will _fight, I don't know how...but somehow I will. Father is doing something to me, Pete, I can't explain exactly what it is, but it's making me lose who I am little by little. I promise you though, I will do what I can, for you, for the Gryffindors, for Professor Riddle, for everyone, for as long as I can fight him,' he said quietly.  
  
'I know you will, luv, because that's who you are. If your father is doing something to you, we'll find a way round it...something anyway. You're not like the others, not really, I know that. I've seen the side of you that can be caring and protective, and I'm glad it's me you chose to be that way with,' Peter said softly. 'Come on, let's go huh?'  
  
'Yeah, good idea,' Harry nodded, and together they started to head back out to the alleyway. 'Pity we never did get to Honeydukes though, I could really have gone for some Licorice Twists,' he said wistfully.  
  
Peter chuckled. 'We can always have them send up stuff to the castle, I'm sure they would for you,' he said firmly.  
  
Harry grinned. 'Why don't I doubt that,' he said.  
  
Just as they were rounding the corner to the Three Broomsticks they heard someone call out to them. 'Where the hell have the two of you been all this time?'  
  
Harry and Peter stopped short, turning to face the person who'd spoken. 'Why? Been worried about us? Or there just wasn't enough excitement for you today?' Harry said back cooly, stepping a bit in front of Peter now.  
  
James gave Harry a cool look, then shrugged his shoulders. 'You never turned up at Honeydukes, nor at the Three Broomsticks for our usual rounds. Just wondered what caught your fancy enough to keep you so occupied for an afternoon,' he said just as cooly, then got a better look at Peter and snorted. 'Well I guess that answers my question then doesn't it. Seems you found your excitements,' he smirked.  
  
'Sod off, James, it's not your concern. For that matter you never showed up at Gladrags either, so where were _you _hmm?' Harry bit back.  
  
James leveled an cold glance at Harry now. 'Nowhere that you need to concern yourself with either, little brother,' he said icily.   
  
'Well then, seems we're at an impasse, because I know I am not going to explain my day to _you_,' Harry said back coldly. 'What do you want, James. You're not usually without your lap dog. Has Sirius find a better bone to play with?' he smirked.  
  
James's eyes flashed with icy anger. 'Don't even start with me about Sirius, Harry, or I'll - ' he began but Harry cut him off.  
  
'You'll what? Hex me, curse me? I thought you figured it out this morning that there's _nothing _you can throw at me that I can't counter. You want to go for seconds though? I'll be more than happy to accommodate,' Harry sneered, and pulled his wand out now, leveling it at James. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Peter had quickly dashed out of the way and was now half hiding behind a large tree, peering out at them almost expectantly.  
  
James smirked at Harry and drew his own wand out as well, leveling it at Harry. 'So you want to play again eh? Fine then, I'm game. Let's see what new tricks you've learned today shall we, little brother? I'm so anxious to know,' he sneered.  
  
Harry didn't really want to fight James, but like this morning, he felt a strange power flowing through him at the thought of duelling someone. That strange heat began to overtake him again, and now that he had little choice but to duel he did what he had earlier, and let his 'powers' guide him. A crowed had now began to form round the two boys as someone had obviously informed the townsfolk that a duel was to take place, and giving a wide birth the crowd now stood off to the side, watching in both fear and anticipation. It was when Harry saw a flash of silver hair amongst the crowd...no...two heads with silver hair, that he suddenly stopped short, astonished by what he was seeing.  
  
Draco was there looking at him with a guarded expression, but definitely not a happy one, and on his right was a person Harry knew all too well, only much, much younger than he'd last seen him. It was clearly to him now that this other person had to be Lucius Malfoy, and he was as usual very well dressed, and very well groomed, reeking of wealth and oddly not so much 'power' but 'standing', a man in a very high position despite his age which couldn't have been more than twenty-one or twenty-two at best. Somehow Harry knew by the obvious youthful age on Lucius that there was no way in the world he was Draco's father here, more then likely he was his 'brother', just like James was his.   
  
He didn't get much more time to dwell on Lucius however when he saw a flash of red, and then he nearly doubled over when he saw a woman with long red hair and green eyes slip through the crowd to stand next in-between Draco and Lucius. A woman that could only have been Lily Evans, his own mother that he had never known in his world, but what made him really feel ill is what he now remembered something the 'voice' earlier had told him. This was obviously the 'Evans' that it had spoken of, the woman that in this world was Draco's 'finaceé', the woman who was carrying Draco's child. He knew now of course that it wasn't really his Draco, but this world's 'Draco' that she was with. Just to be safe he turned his gaze away from her now, he wasn't going to let the 'voice' control him again, not now anyway, he couldn't, not with James still wanting to 'play'.  
  
Somehow he knew these 'games' were common between him and his brother, more like 'shows' that they 'performed' for the public in order to keep them in queue and a chance to show off their 'powers'. This was their way of letting people know they were the 'Masters' here and not to be trifled with, but at the moment Harry wasn't sure he even wanted to play this 'game'. Not with Draco there, not with his mum there, and he had to cringe when he inadvertently glanced back over at Draco and saw Lily slip her arm through Draco's. He knew that because of what he had told Draco to do earlier that Draco was now forcing himself into putting his hand comfortingly on top of Lily's, and Harry felt yet another pang of pure guilt. He knew that later on he was going to have a hell of a lot of explaining to do to his true love, and only prayed Draco would forgive him.   
  
Turning his gaze away from Draco and Lily, his eyes fell on Remus and Severus now, who were oddly enough holding each other round the waist all too lovingly, and he wondered what more he had missed out on since last night. He certainly didn't remember the two of them having any sort of 'relationship' back in their own world, so this was definitely news to him. From the looks of it though it was rather a 'newfound' relationship all told, and he made a mental note to ask Draco about that later when he would see him.   
  
'You going to stand there gaping or we going to duel, brother? I don't have all day you know,' James said lazily now, cutting into Harry's thoughts.  
  
It was with the left over remnants of anger and guilt with himself for what he had done earlier that he now turned back to James with a scowl. Suddenly he actually felt that he needed this 'sparing' session more than he thought he did, and noticing that his brother was now gazing off into the crowd, it was just the opportunity he need. 'En guarde, brother! _Trifidus__!_' he shouted out then, and a flash of yellowed lightning shot out of his wand, and he could see James's hair stand on end as the lightning bolt shot just past his head.  
  
James whipped round quickly, a smirk on his face. 'Aim's off today, you missed me, brother,' he smirked.  
  
'Purely intentional, I assure you, my dear brother,' Harry smirked back, bowing slightly as if he was mocking James. 'Trying to get you to pay attention, not flirt with the crowd.'  
  
James scowled and his eyes blazed for a moment in anger. 'Well then, let's get serious shall we? _Expectoro__!_' he shouted.  
  
Harry managed to dodge the spell by a hairs breath. 'Trying to banish me off somewhere's eh? Nice but no thanks, brother,' he sneered. 'Let's see here, my turn eh? Ah yes...I know _just _the thing..._Incendium__!_' he shouted now, and seconds later a blue flame was dancing on the hem of James's robes.  
  
James didn't even realised he was on fire until it was too late, and stamped out flames in a huff. Not before it was too late however, and the blue flames had now burned a nice size hole in the hem of his robe. 'You bastard, this is my brand new robe! It cost me a hundred Galleons, not to mention that it took two weeks to get it in, and now you've gone and _ruined _it!' he said angrily. 'That's it, your going to pay for this! Let's see if you can block _this _one, little brother! _Avada Kedavra!_' he screamed.  
  
Harry however was surprisingly calm, somehow he expected James to cast that spell, or at least one of the Unforgivables anyway. Just like this morning though he felt that strange heated power flow through him, and he watched again in slow motion as the spell headed towards him. He knew he didn't need his wand now, it would be a hindrance for what he had to do, and let it fall to the ground. He then heard a gasp from those near him, though it sounded like it was coming down a long tunnel more than anything, but now wasn't the time to dwell on the fact he knew he had just surprised everyone that was watching this. Then just as the green light of the spell was about to hit him, he said in a calm, clear voice, '_Protectio__', _and instantly he felt himself surrounded by a shimmery film like substance that was like a second skin on him.  
  
As he felt the spell complete itself the world suddenly sped up again, the spell once again zooming towards him at normal speed. He watched in an almost detached fascination as the beam hit him square in the chest, and then shatter into a million tiny specks, the green of his eyes reflecting the green rays of the sparks of light. There wasn't a sound now that could be heard, no one dared move, and even the birds in the trees didn't dare chirp as Harry then looked back at his brother, a slight smirk on his face. 'Well then, I guess I _can _block that one, brother. Seems this round goes to me,' Harry said in a softly mocking tone of voice, then reached down to pick up his wand, brushing it off non-chalantly.   
  
James blinked at Harry, then walked over to him, shaking his head in amazement. 'You really did, I don't believe it,' he said in a strange voice.  
  
Harry then put his wand back in his robe, whilst keeping a careful, wary eye on James. Crossing his arms over his chest then he said, 'You still want to play, James?' he said coldly.  
  
James shook his head, and then surprisingly laughed. 'No, not today anyway, think I'm spelled out for the moment. Would be kind of anti-climatic after that fireworks display eh?'  
  
Harry couldn't help it, the anger he'd felt drained out of him and he just shook his head and chuckled. 'No doubt. Next time you want to duel with me when I'm in a bad mood...I might not be so lenient on you, brother,' he said almost teasingly.  
  
James chuckled. 'I'll be looking forwards to it.'  
  
'So am _I _for that matter,' a new voice said from the crowd, and a man stepped forwards with a pleased look on his face.  
  
Harry and James stiffened, then turned to face the man who was now walking over to them. 'Father,' they both said at the same time.  
  
'Well done, both of you. Especially you, Harry,' Maximus said with a trace of proudness in his voice.  
  
Harry bowed his head slightly towards him. 'Thank you, Father. I haven't disappointed you then?' he said slowly.  
  
'Of course not, it's what I would have expected from _you_, my son,' he said knowingly, oblivious to the scowl that crossed James's face at that comment. 'Seems I'll have to be more careful in the future.'  
  
'Oh? And why is that, Father?' Harry said, noticing the scowl on James's face, filing that bit of information away for future reference.  
  
'Well isn't it obvious, my son?' he said glancing over the crowd now with an odd glint in his eyes. 'You're already as powerful as _I _am now, so I suppose I'll have to watch my back from now on, hmm?' he mused, his words loud enough to make sure everyone present could hear what he had said.  
  
Harry knew what Maximus was up to, and smirked at him. 'Perhaps you should,' he said cooly, and started to walk over to where Peter was still half-hiding behind the tree. Pulling Peter to his side he wrapped his arm round his waist, risked a very quick glance towards Draco who slightly nodded back at him, then turned to walk away. However he then stopped and turned back round to face Maximus, a strange glint in his emerald eyes. 'Father?' he asked.  
  
'Yes, son?' Maximus asked in return.  
  
'Two things. First off, get James a new robe since I ruined his new ones,' Harry said nodding at his brother who surprisingly nodded back.  
  
'Very well, I'll do that, and the second thing?' Maximus asked.  
  
Harry gazed intensely at Maximus for a moment before replying. Choosing his words carefully he said in an almost off-handed yet cool tone of voice, 'The second thing is very simple. You said I'm as powerful as you are, but your wrong.'  
  
'Oh really, what am I wrong on then, son?' Maximus said raising an eyebrow towards Harry.  
  
'I'm not _as _powerful as you are, Father...I'm _more _powerful than you are...or ever will be. There's only room in this world for _one _Dark Lord...you might want to keep that in mind for _future _reference,' he said icily, then he with a smirk on his face he whispered something under his breath, and to even Maximus's surprise he and Peter simply vanished into thin air.  
  
'What the...? Where did they go?' James asked in surprise himself.  
  
Maximus suddenly got a strange feeling he knew the answer to that, and reaching out with the magic bestowed upon him as Headmaster of Hogwarts found exactly where his son and Peter had gone off too. 'By Salazar...he's managed to by-pass the wards,' he said in a strange voice.  
  
'What? How? What does that mean?' James demanded.  
  
'It means, James, that your brother is now capable of doing anything _he _damn well pleases from now on,' Maximus then said with a dark scowl.   
  
'You're not making sense here. What do you mean he get past the wards?' James asked crossly.  
  
Turning to James, a dark look in his eyes he said in a cold voice, 'Somehow, James, your brother has managed to learn how to Apparate and Disapparate onto the school grounds.'  
  
'That's _not _possible, _no one_ can do that!' James argued.  
  
'Well, explain to me then how it is that he is currently back in the Slytherin common room, hmm? It's seems I've underestimated him...' Maximus said in a hard voice. 'I'll see you at supper, James, I must return to the school at once,' he said sharply then, and turned on his heel and quickly walked away, a strange, intense look on his face.  
  
James watched him go and then shook his head in both confusement and awe. 'Well well, Harry...seems you've managed to even put Father at a loss for words. Well done, little brother, well done indeed,' he said quietly, then he too started to head towards the castle.  
  
He decided to take a short cut through an edge of the Forbidden Forest, and had just come to a small clearing when he stopped short as he heard someone call out softly, 'Jamie?'   
  
Turning round he saw a shadow in the trees, and he then followed it as the shadow went deeper into the forest. Not that much later he was suddenly grabbed round the waist and roughly swept into a pair of arms, and before he could even say a single word a pair of lips came down over his, and he melted into the now softer, warmer embrace of his captor. Minutes later he pulled back from the sweet kiss and said in a tender voice, 'I missed you...'  
  
'Not half as much as I missed you, Jamie,' the other person said with a sigh. 'I know you said to wait till tonight...but I saw how you looked after _he _left, and figured you could use a pick-me-up,' the person said with a slight grin now.  
  
James grinned himself and nodded, snuggling back into the arms surrounding him. 'Let's not talk about him shall we, I don't want to ruin this,' he said with a contented sigh.  
  
'Oh? What would you rather be talking about then, my love?' the second person said with a chuckle, and kissed James's forehead gently.  
  
'Oh...I can think of a few things...like how I am going to ravish you tonight...how I'm going to kiss, lick and tease every inch of your silky skin...how I'm going make you scream out my name in pure ecstasy when my lips are pressed round your pulsing, hard - ' he began only to be silence with a now very lust-filled kiss.  
  
As the two lovers broke apart again minutes later the other man said breathlessly, 'Gods, Jamie...what do you do to me? You're making it _very _difficult to wait till midnight you know...'  
  
James chuckled and put his hand up to gently trace his lover's cheek with his fingertips. 'I'm corrupting you, what else does a Potter do, my love? And I agree...midnight's just way too far away...I want you _now_...' he said hungrily.  
  
'What..._here_?' the other person said startled, though it clear he really wasn't going to argue the point very much.  
  
James laughed then pulled out his wand and placed a few silencing spells round the small clearing they were in, and then transfigured a makeshift bed out of some rocks. He pointed his wand at his lover and said a few well chosen words, then did the same to himself, and seconds later both men were completely naked, and obviously both very ready and willingly aroused. Pinning his lover to the bed, there was a strange expression now in his eyes. Not of lust, but of kindness, tenderness, warmth, as well as desire, need, passion and pure ache for the man beneath him. In a low, husky voice he said, 'You're mine, you know that...forever...only mine...'  
  
'Yes...all yours...' the other person replied in an equally aroused voice, especially now that James was kissing the nape of his neck. 'I...love...you...Jamie...' he managed to breathe out as James had now moved on to nibble at his ear.  
  
James paused his tender administrations only long enough to whisper something into that ear, 'I love you too, Luc...'   
  


**_  
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A/N: Ah now, I _know _what you're thinking...:cowers as she's about to get killed: yes I did a very baaad thing here :sniffs: but...don't worry...it _will _all work out...have faith m'dears, you know I adore my boys too much to make them hurt for long! :grins:  
  
_October 15, 2002 3:16 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy_  
  



	9. Truth Isn't Always A Bitter Pill To Take

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
  
First I want to apologize for the horrid lack of updating as of late. The flu and allergies cornered me the last couple of weeks, and some bad test results have me in a bit of a depression sadly. Writing has been virtually impossible far as 'fresh' stuff goes, and all I could seem to put out was the re-writes of When I'm Sixty-Four (which can be found both at FFN and http://stories.com/authors/piriotessa in my HP fics folder.) Cheers for putting up with me during my lapse in updating, hopefully I'll be back on track soon. Meanwhile though these may be shorter than normal, I'm giving it my best :)  
  
  
Second I want to dedicate this chap to **Asioleh**, a wonderful person who's kept me balanced and who has kept me from feeling like I will be forgotten if I fail to update. You're a gem luv, and thank you sooo much! :hugs and smooches:  
  
Also I want to give major hugs and smooches to **Angela**, you guys have kept me smiling with your ecards and given me new reasons to keep searching for those elusive Chibi and other adorable hentai pics of Severus and Remus :beams: And I have found a few new ones oi...wait till your next card luv! :giggles: (Ahh...a young chibi Sev and Remy in the tub...or an older Sev/Remy having a lovely snog...or an older Sev/Remy being just themselves :faints: how wonderful! :beams:)  
  
  
On that note, I do have a small request. Since my kids da is not in the mood to draw anything 'fun' for me to match to a few fics I've written/am working on, if there is anyone out there that isn't artistically challenged and has time, I really would love some scenes done. Email me at piri_lupin_snape@yahoo.co.uk and I'll direct you to some ideas all right? Or in the meantime if anyone knows of any good Sev/Remus, Sev/Siri or just any good hentai/yaoi fan art sites other then the normal ones (AKA the parapet, etc which I've already been to a zillion times), please let me know.  
  
  
Meanwhile cheers to everyone who has been waiting patiently for me, and for those of you who reviewed last, I truly appreciate them all! :) I just want to play catch up so forgive me for not doing my usual individual namings of my reviewers, next chap though promise I will!  
  
  
**_A/N_**: I have altered a section from back in chap 1 having found a tiny 'loophole' that I wasn't of course going to tolerate :chuckles: Where in chap 1 it originally said that Remus still had a week till his next transformation in their 'own' world, I have changed that to where he had just transformed only a few days prior. I needed to redirect his change to that time so it would fit more with the fic. You don't need to go back and reread or anything, it's a tiny change and more for the 'new' people coming in, but just incase you did spot that loophole I wanted to let you know I have corrected it :)  
  
  


**_~~Chapter Nine: Truth Isn't Always A Bitter Pill To Take~~_**

  
  
  
The Hogsmeade afternoon had come and gone, though not without a few speculations as to what was going on. Severus and Remus weren't sure what to make of what had happened between Harry and James, nor did they even want to comprehend what had happened after their little 'duel' in which they had for the first time seen their 'Headmaster', let alone what had been said up until Harry and Peter had disappeared.   
  
From the way Severus and Remus saw things though, it was blatant that even Harry's 'Father' had been surprised at what Harry had done. Already a whispered buzz of rumours had begun to float through Hogsmeade and the school about the fact that Harry had so blatantly made his intentions on being the next 'Dark Lord' all too clear. The attitudes of the Gryffindors had become quite tense, though the Slytherins were already going round with smirks on their faces as if Harry already had throned himself and was ruling the lands with darkness.   
  
It wasn't until the sun had set and the stars were now making their way across the night sky that Severus and Remus had a chance to get some 'alone' time and talk over the day's events between themselves, and there was quite a bit they wanted answers for. Although neither were sure what to make of things, both of them knew something beyond their control and their understanding had happened today. They both feared that things were progressing far too quickly to be stopped, whatever it was that needed to be stopped anyways, but whatever it was Harry was at the centre of it. Getting home wasn't looking good either, and they still didn't have a clue how to go about doing that, and that worried them most of all.  
  
The two boys sighed heavily as they now walked into their still empty dorm room, the other two boys who shared the room, Frank and Aiden, were still lingering down in the commons talking over the day's events. Remus and Severus had heard enough of the talks and speculations however, and had decided to get away from it all. None of it was making sense yet, and to keep hearing the debates and fears were only making things worse for them.  
  
As Remus got to his side of the room, he took off his robe and necktie, tossed them into his trunk, then quickly went over and flopped down on his bed with a groan. 'This day just keeps getting odder and odder,' he muttered with a shake of his head.   
  
Severus took off his own robe and necktie, threw it onto his own bed then went over and flopped down next to Remus, a scowl on his face. 'That would be an understatement I think. Odd doesn't even begin to cover this day,' he grumbled.  
  
'I want to know what the hell is going on here. Forget even what we've been hearing, I can't fathom that yet, not sure if I even want to. Did you happen to get a glance at Peter earlier by chance?' Remus asked curiously whilst turning to look at Severus.   
  
Severus turned to Remus as well then nodded, a strange look in his coal black eyes. 'I did, I wasn't sure if you noticed though, but I had a suspicion you might. I certainly hope Draco did not,' he said darkly.  
  
Remus sighed and nodded. 'For his sake so do I, I think it would kill him to know that it had to be Harry who caused that. If he did see it though he's doing a damned good job in not saying anything, which would be unusual for him,' he said.  
  
'I concur, it's not like that boy to kept silent about such things. I still want to know what the hell Draco meant earlier though by what he said. He better have some good explanations for us later,' Severus said.  
  
'That's _if _Lily let's him go later,' Remus said dryly.  
  
Severus snorted. 'She's going to have to or we'll just have to kidnap the boy. Whatever is going on here he has a clue, and I want to know what it is. What happened today only proves Potter is being taken in quickly by whatever is going on here, and somehow we have to stop him from doing any more damage,' he said sighing heavily.  
  
Remus nodded. 'Agreed, we'll have to get to Draco somehow and have a nice long chat with him. I hope Harry knows what he's doing though, but I can't imagine he would do something as horrible as that to Peter, yet he didn't seem affected at all by it,' he frowned.  
  
'Those slash marks on Pettigrew were fingernail marks, I'd bet my Gringott's account on it. Freshly made too by the looks of it,' he said frowning as well. 'Face facts, Remus, we don't know what Potter is or isn't capable of right now, nor what he's thinking. We don't even know if he's really in control of himself, and that is something that worries me.'  
  
'He's certainly got a few new tricks that he didn't yesterday, give you that much. I know he's a Gryffindor heir in our world, but even James didn't have power like that, and he had his share of 'odd' powers as an heir. What bothers me is by being able to by-pass the wards on Apparation within Hogwarts he would have to suddenly have control over some incredibly powerful magics. Even Albus I don't think can by-pass the wards just as you please,' Remus said thoughtfully.  
  
Severus snorted again. 'Don't underestimate Albus Dumbledore, he's also got a few tricks up his sleeve, believe me on that point. At least _our _Albus does, which makes me wonder now what or who he is in this world,' he mused.  
  
'I hate to tell you this but I have every suspicion that in this world Albus is the old 'Dark Lord'. If so - ' Remus began but was cut off by Severus.  
  
'Of course! How stupid have we been! If 'good' is 'evil' here and vice versa, then Albus _would _be 'evil' and - '   
  
'Voldemort would be good?' Remus said cutting him off. 'If that's true then why haven't we heard or seen anything to that effect by now? We don't even know if there _is _a Voldemort in this world,' he said speculatively.  
  
'Hmm, we've only been here a bit over a day though, it's not unlikely we wouldn't have heard anything more than we have yet. Since we got here we've been either holed up in the dorms, at breakfast or at Hogsmeade, and I doubt anyone would discuss such matters openly over tea or a butterbeer,' Severus reasoned.  
  
'The other problem is that we can't just go round asking 'bout things we should already know, now can we, cariadau. Oh this is ridiculous, how are we supposed to find out anything if we can't ask anyone without raising suspicions?' Remus muttered.  
  
'Simple, we will just have to do some silent observing, Remus. Somehow though we've got to get to Draco, I have no doubts that he knows something important about all of this,' Severus scowled.  
  
Remus sighed then stretched a bit as well as yawning. 'Whatever he does know is going to have to wait for now I'd say. I'm sure Lily isn't going to let him go so quickly this time, not after he's been pointedly giving her the shy-off. If I remember correctly she dragged him off to Myrddin knows where soon as we got back, which reminds me, I wonder where Lucius went off to?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
Severus shrugged. 'Not sure. I think after the duel I heard him say something to Lily and Draco that he had to go check up on something, and that he would meet with them tomorrow morning. Who cares though, the more I'm not in Lucius Malfoy's company the better,' he said with a petulant sniff.  
  
'Oh now be nice, Severus. I mean in this world he doesn't seem like such a bad bloke anyways, not like the Lucius you and I know err...knew,' Remus replied. 'Why do you think he's anything different then the jovial, carefree man we saw today?'  
  
'I don't know, Remus, but there is something not right with him, I can feel it,' he said pensively.  
  
'Is that your vampiric instinct kicking in, cariadau?' Remus said with a slight grin.  
  
'No, that's my Death Eater instincts kicking in, nothing more or less,' Severus said firmly. 'There may not technically be Death Eaters in this world, but I've spent over twenty years of my life being one in our world remember. Despite our current situation and our new found 'memories', I still remember enough about being one that the instincts and feelings are still ingrained within me. That's not even the only thing either, there's something else that convinces me that things are not all they appear with the so-called Lucius of this world.'  
  
'Oh? Wha's tha'?' Remus said whilst yawning again. 'Sorry, I feel so tired all of a sudden,' he murmured and closed his eyes for a moment.  
  
Severus leaned up on his elbow and looked down at the man next to him, wondering again how twisted the Fates could be to have so callously yet graciously given him someone so precious. Remus did look very worn out though, and even his breathing was a bit off-sounding, which made Severus actually worry for him. 'Never mind, we can talk more on this later, cariadau. Do you want to take a rest for a bit? You do look a bit pale suddenly.'  
  
Remus shook his head then opened his eyes again, and to Severus's surprise they were now an amber yellow colour rather than the normal brown flecked with gold. 'No, not really,' he replied in a strange tone of voice.  
  
'Remus, what is it?' Severus asked in concern now.  
  
Remus nodded then slightly turned his head to look out the window. 'She's calling me again,' he said quietly.  
  
'The full moon is tomorrow night, I'd almost forgotten. Will you be all right you think?' Severus asked still worried.  
  
'I'm scared if you want the truth,' Remus replied in a low voice.  
  
'Why?'  
  
Remus shrugged then shivered slightly, curling himself up on the bed into a fetal position. 'In our world I only transformed a few days ago, Severus, now I have to do that again tomorrow night. I've never transformed so close together like this, I'm not sure how my body...my mind even...will react to it all. I've been so used to having the potion in me now that without it...' he trailed off quietly, a shiver once again coursing through him.  
  
'I wish there was something I could do to help you, Remus, I really do. I will be with you tomorrow night, but I can't imagine what it must be like for you every month to have to face the changes alone, to have to endure the pain of what you go through. In fact, that's why I was going to - ' he began but cut himself off and bit his lower lip, not wanting to reveal what he was about to say after all.  
  
Remus looked up at Severus curiously however, questions in his eyes. 'What were going to do, Severus?'  
  
Severus looked back down at Remus getting lost in those amber eyes. He didn't really want Remus to know that even back in their own world he had been thinking about him, he didn't want him to know that he had every reason to have caved in so easily to the desires for the werewolf in this world, simply because he was following his own desires from back in their world. However looking down into those trusting, curious eyes of the wolf he found it was acting like a Veritaserum Potion to him, and he couldn't help but to tell Remus the truth.  
  
'I was in the library doing research...for you. For the Wolfsbane Potion I mean, so that I could perhaps alter the potion in order to make the changes easier on you,' he said quietly.  
  
Remus blinked a moment trying to comprehend what Severus's intent was, then he remembered the last conversation they'd had together before all this had taken place. 'Why?' he asked.  
  
Severus sighed though he found he couldn't turn his gaze away even if he wanted to, which he didn't really. 'Because I didn't realize how much you really suffered during that time until our talk yesterday. I went to the library wanting to help you, to make it less harsh, less painful for you during your transformations. I never really agreed with the other Potion Masters when they released the final results of the potion, even back then I knew it had flaws. Until yesterday...I thought it was at least satisfactory enough to do it's job. It shouldn't do just that though...it should do more then it does, it should make things better for you, at least I want them to be...' he said quietly.  
  
'Why? Why would you have wanted to even try to alter it? Just because of a few words spoken between us, Severus?' Remus asked.  
  
'No, not just the words, but...but because I know that you don't deserve what you go through every month, Remus, you never did. I'm only sorry that because of my curious natures I got side-tracked, which ended up putting us all in the mess we're in now,' he grumbled.  
  
Remus thought on that for a moment, debating what to say. He turned and looked up at Severus who was still leaning on his elbow, and he really looked at him this time, all of him. The way he had changed without using the potion, the way his hair fell in silky strands down his shoulders, the way his skin was pale like the early morning moonlight before dawn, giving him an ethereal appearance. The way Severus smelled, a mixture of earth and blood, and the wolf inside of him couldn't help but to respond to how that made him feel. Brushing a stray lock of Severus's fringes out of his eyes he looked up at him now invigorated, the tiredness leaving him and being rapidly replaced with desire, lust and need.   
  
'I don't think we're in such a rotten mess, cariadau,' Remus said in lust-filled, impassioned voice.  
  
Severus stared at him for a moment, surprised by the shift in Remus's voice as well as Remus's emotions, which because of the spiritual links they shared in this world he felt all too well. However much as those emotions were now feeding on him, corrupting him, he couldn't let them overtake him at the moment, he needed to stay in control and think even if it meant denying himself. 'Remus, no...how can you say that? Look at what's going on here won't you? Potter's gotten himself in over his head, Malfoy is in the quicksand even if he doesn't know it yet, and as for us...' he said trailing off, not even sure what to say on that matter.  
  
'Harry and Draco will handle themselves, they're bright kids, Severus. I'm more inclined to think Harry might have a better grasp of things then we've been giving him credit for actually, knowing him like I do. Stop worrying 'bout them, they'll be fine. As for us, fy fampire...personally...I see no problems at all...' Remus said in a low, husky voice, his fingertips now brushing against Severus's chin and neck.  
  
Severus closed his eyes a moment and shivered from the feathery touches, then swallowed deeply. 'D-don't you see...we're ah...in j-just as equal...a...m-mess...here, R-Remus...' he stammered. Remus's fingers were having more of an affect on him than he thought possible, and he had to stop himself from letting the vampire take over and shag Remus on the spot. Now wasn't the time though even if it felt that way, there was still a lot to be discussed.  
  
'What I see, Severus, is two people who have had too many years of untruths and unwarranted hatreds between them,' Remus said quietly.  
  
'What exactly do you mean by that?' Severus asked sharply.  
  
Remus chuckled then shook his head slowly. 'You're not the only one that has been keeping secrets all these years, Severus Snape. I also have mine,' he said coyly.  
  
'Remus, what are you on about? What secrets?' Severus asked impatiently.  
  
Remus looked at Severus oddly for a moment, debating if he did or didn't want to tell him what he should have long ago. Finally it seemed he reached a decision and getting up from the bed he walked over to the window. He then sat down on the ledge and looked up at the night sky contemplatively. 'It's funny really how ironic life can be, and how weary one gets of that irony.'  
  
Severus sat up and watched Remus a moment, and though he was irritated a bit, he was also curious where this conversation was heading. 'Life tends to be that way I find all told, but why would you think that way? You have little reason to be as weary of life as I am I'd think,' he said.  
  
Remus shook his head though he continued to look up at the stars and the almost full moon. 'You haven't a clue what my life has been like up till now, Severus, but I assure you it hasn't been all roses and buttercups.'  
  
'Compared to mine I'm sure it has been,' Severus said gruffly.  
  
'Everything with you is always a comparison, isn't it Severus. Life isn't always just about 'who's done worse' and 'who's done better' for themselves. It's about surviving in it, finding your place in it, what you've done with it, where you end up in it even. It's not always 'bout 'you' you know, you want it to be, but it isn't. You're not the only one who's been denied and rejected, hated and feared. You're not the only one who's been forced into doing things for the 'better good' when you didn't want to be,' Remus said heatedly.  
  
'Oh really? Tell me then, how could someone like _you _possibly know what it's like to have a life like _I _have had all these years? Tell me what gives you the right to judge me?' Severus snapped.  
  
'Because I've had it just as bad as you have, Severus, even if you don't think so. I may not have been a Death Eater, but I know pain and torture, I know loneliness and mistrust, just as much as you do. I know what it's like to wish on things and never have them come to pass...and when they finally do...it's nothing more than illusions. Even if those dreams and hopes might feel real, they aren't. They can and usually are taken away as quickly as given, and again only the emptiness remains behind,' Remus said bitterly.  
  
Severus didn't reply on that right away, instead he thought about what Remus was saying, and something began to filter through his mind. Getting up slowly he went over to the ledge and stood behind Remus, also looking up at the night sky and the blazing still yellow moon of early evening. 'You said there's been untruths between us all these years, Remus, what did you mean? What possibly could you have had to lie about?'  
  
Remus sighed and turned round to face Severus now, a sadness in those amber eyes. 'I used to sit on this sill back then and wait on the falling stars, you know? Wishing that one day that somehow my dreams would be fulfilled. That the person I loved...my lifemate...would come to me and wrap his arms round me, telling me he loved me and would always be there for me. I had to eventually realize that that's all they were though...nothing but ill-fated dreams. I knew that my lifemate would never want me because of what I am, and I'd be a right fool now to still think otherwise, now it's too late,' he said quietly.  
  
'Black was the fool, not you. He didn't know what he was doing when he gave you up back then,' Severus said, a strange hitch in his voice.  
  
Remus shook his head and turned back to look out the window, his shoulders slumped. 'That's just the problem, Severus...it was never Sirius who was the fool,' he said softly.  
  
Severus blinked not quite comprehending just yet what Remus meant. 'He hurt you...why couldn't you see how much he was hurting you? I wanted to crush him, make him pay for that...if I had known he would break your heart the way he did...' he said.  
  
Remus softly chuckled now, hugging his arms to his chest. 'You still don't get it do you, Severus,' he said now turning back to face the other boy, 'Sirius didn't hurt me in that way, I told you what we had wasn't anything more than an act. He wanted people to think we were sleeping together, that we had a 'relationship', but we never did. I played along for a while because I liked the attention, and I didn't know what he really wanted to do at the time, that he was only using me. When I did find out yes, I was hurt, but not because of him...but because of what he did.'  
  
'By breaking your heart you mean,' Severus said with a touch of anger in his voice.  
  
Remus shook his head. 'No, Severus, you're still not listening to me. Sirius did not break my heart because _I _loved _him_. He hurt me because...because...' he said trailing off and dropping his gaze now towards the floor.  
  
'Because?' Severus asked, then before he could stop himself he reached out and took Remus's chin in his hand, bringing his gaze back up to meet his eyes. 'What are you trying to tell me, Remus?'   
  
'I'm surprised you never figured it out, Severus, for all the intelligence you claim to have. You weren't the only one who was watching back then you know, I was too,' Remus said with a slight smirk.  
  
Finally things began to actually dawn on him, and the memories he'd buried long ago from their past started to resurface, mixing old with new memories. He had to struggle to filter out this world from their own world, but now some things that had always bothered him began to make sense. 'You were watching me too,' he said slowly.  
  
Remus nodded slightly. 'Yeah, I was, since first-year actually, though now I understand why. I may not have known you for what you were, but somehow the monster in me must have suspected something was different, so I watched,' he said.  
  
'You are not a monster, Remus,' Severus said sharply.  
  
Remus snorted. 'I think you must be confusing your worlds up then, Severus. In our world I was never anything but a monster to you, if I remember correctly.'  
  
'it was easier that way, easier to hate then...then to think otherwise back home. You still haven't answered my question, Remus. If Black wasn't the one who broke your heart...who did?' he asked, gazing deeply and intensely into Remus's eyes.  
  
Remus looked back at Severus and with a heavy sigh said quietly, 'You did...'  
  
Severus blinked again several times, then found himself stepping back away from Remus quickly. 'M-me? Why...how...I...I don't understand,' he said confused.  
  
Remus turned back and looked out the window, again crossing his arms protectively across his chest. 'I'd been sitting on this very ledge back in our world when Sirius found out 'bout how I felt towards you. I had thought he was sleeping when I got up and came over, but he wasn't, he was very much awake. I had a picture of you that I'd had taken in secret and was looking at it, waiting on my falling star so that I could yet again make my wishes, and Sirius heard me saying your name. The next night was the Yule Ball and that's when he got me drunk...and in his bed. I was so angry with him, I wanted to murder him, I swear I almost did, but he told me that he'd help me get you, he had just wanted to see if it was 'worth the efforts' was all,' he muttered.  
  
'Then...then why did Black come to my bed? Why?' Severus demanded.  
  
'I didn't know he was going to do that, believe me. Sirius was a walking hormone back then, shagged anyone that he could get his hands on. You made it all too easy as well once you began seducing him. I suppose that in the end he completely forgot 'bout the fact that it was me who was in love with you. My heart was broken though the day I found out just how much of a 'friend' he was...he'd used me to get to you, he never wanted to 'help' me, only keep me away from you. He told me that you weren't worth my time, that you were a 'good shag' but nothing more. What really clinched though, what really shattered my heart back then was that he told me that you didn't think much of me, that you hated me even. When I heard those words...I believed him...Severus...' Remus said heavily.  
  
'So yet again I was the cause of ruining a life,' Severus said quietly.   
  
Remus shook his head sadly. 'There wasn't much left to ruin, Severus, only dreams that were already shattered, nothing more. I was a foolish child for even having them,' he said.  
  
'Does the adult still think it's foolish to believe in dreams?' Severus asked questioningly.  
  
Remus snorted. 'Considering I'm not an 'adult' at the moment, I don't know,' he said curtly.  
  
'Don't get cheeky with me, Remus, answer the question,' Severus replied with some annoyance.  
  
'Very well, Severus, you want to know what the adult thinks...I'll tell you,' Remus said turning back round to face Severus. 'The adult has lived over twenty years in a life that has been filled with only sadness, loneliness, and bitterness. Years ago the adult Remus Lupin stopped looking up at the stars and waiting for them to fall in order to make wishes on dreams that he knew would never come true. Someone once told the child that it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, and the adult took that at face value, even if it meant living in the emptiness, at least there were no more dreams.'  
  
'If the adult still had a chance to wish on those stars though, Remus...what would he wish for?' Severus asked quietly.  
  
Remus shook his head. 'I'm not sure...but maybe...he'd wish for those days from long ago. Before the hurt, before the dreams died, when the child would sit here and hold that picture of you in his hands...pretending that it was your arms round him holding him tightly, pretending that you loved him in return,' Remus said quietly then looked back at Severus again with a sad look in his eyes. 'What we've shared the last day or so here has been wonderful, Severus, but it's not real, it's not _us_. It's nothing more than illusions and false dreams, and I don't know if...'   
  
'If?' Severus asked.  
  
Remus sighed then turned to look up at the moon, it's now paling yellow reflected in the yellow of his eyes. 'If I want to have my heart broken again, Severus. If when we do go home we find this is nothing more than a lark...a twisted dream...and that when we wake up you'll be hating me again like before. I don't think I can do that again, I know I can't survive it this time. No more than I think I will survive tomorrow night's transformation...'  
  
'You will survive it, you have to,' Severus said firmly, though a part of him was scared now. The tone of Remus's wearied voice was saying far more than he wanted it to.  
  
'Why should I? Just so I can come back and face more illusions, Severus? What's the point in that?' Remus said bitterly now.  
  
Severus closed his eyes and drew in a sharp breath, exhaling slowly. Turning Remus back round to face him again he peered deep into Remus's eyes, saw the sadness, the lost dreams and hopes of youth, and he couldn't help himself and he leaned over and gently brushed his lips across Remus's a moment before pulling back slightly. 'I never hated you, Remus, never. I wanted to break Black, make him pay for all the times I thought he was hurting you by his cheating ways. I wanted you to see him for what he was, I wanted you to hate him, but I never wanted to hurt you in the process. You _are _a fool in once thing though, Remus...' he said softly.  
  
'Oh? In what?' Remus asked puzzled now by Severus's words and the kiss.  
  
'I'm surprised you haven't already figured this one out, Professor,' Severus said with a slight coy smirk now. 'Think about where we are right now. We're in a world that is bringing forth not illusions, Remus, but who we really are. What we really feel, what we really want from our lives. _Now _do you understand?' he asked slowly.  
  
Remus stared at him letting that information filter through him, then looking back at Severus he nodded, a new light filling his amber eyes. 'You...this is really what _you _always wanted too?' he asked a bit hesitantly.  
  
Severus smiled softly, then nodded his head. 'In my mind and in my heart it wasn't Black that was in my bed back then...it was _you_. It was your hands on me, your lips on mine, you that was inside of me. You weren't the only one Black lied to, he told me you hated me too, because you see...he knew I wanted you too.'  
  
'W-What? What do you meant?' Remus asked puzzled.  
  
'I think it was the second time he came to my bed that he found out the truth, or part of it. I...err...well I mistakenly called out your name after I ah...well you know after things, and Black confronted me of course. I brushed it off best I could, but I pretty much knew he didn't believe me. Now that I know how you felt about me however, it explains certain things I didn't understand at the time,' Severus muttered.  
  
'Like what?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
'For starters, how Black was insistent on cornering me at times he knew you would be coming along to see us together, and then knowing that you'd seen us he'd walk away soon as you'd leave without so much as a word. Not to mention that he became less and less subtle about the fact that you hated me, that you thought I was nothing but a 'greasy, oily haired Slytherin git who wasn't worth the time and efforts'. I still didn't stop loving you though, I couldn't even if I wanted to, I needed you much as the vampire needs the blood. Even though I thought you hated me, I just couldn't hate you,' Severus said.  
  
'Well now, those words sound very familiar don't they,' Remus said dryly. 'That's Sirius all over, that manipulative, sneaky, underhanded bastard of a dog. He played us both off, causing us to hate each other when there was no reason for it. He's the one who ruined our lives if anything, causing me to lose my home, my job, hell my whole damned life,' Remus said angrily.  
  
'Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry about that, I wish I hadn't done it now. I sent you away that time because to be so close to you, to have you within arms reach and not be able to have you in bed, it was too much for me. I had to fight the vampire in order to keep myself from claiming you, from taking you even though I thought you'd never give me your consent. I couldn't though, I could never do that to you...so I hurt you instead, showed hate instead of love, and drove you far enough away so that I could go back to my own dreams, without the threat of your presence making them all too real,' he said dejectedly.  
  
'Oh, Severus, we've both been so stupid haven't we. So much time we've wasted apart when we could have been together, so much pain and loneliness we've caused ourselves...' Remus said in a choked voice.  
  
Severus sighed slightly and then nodded. 'How very true that is, more than I want to admit or want even think about right now. Instead, all I want to do right now is to play 'catch up' with you, Remus Joseph Lupin. In body, mind and soul I belong to you, even though for the moment it's only in this world, should we ever go home I...I want to make it permanent there too. I don't want to lose you again, Remus, I can't. I think we've both had enough of being lonely and afraid, don't you?' he said hesitantly.  
  
'You...you mean that?' Remus said astonished now.  
  
'I'll tell you just how much I mean that when we do get home, but for now...I'll just have to show you,' Severus said with a coy grin, and then he reached over and pulled Remus into his arms. 'You don't have to wish on any stars here, cariadau, that much I can tell you,' he whispered seductively, then he leaned in and captured Remus's lips with his own, lust, passion and need filling his body and thoughts.  
  
However their bliss wasn't going to last long, for before they could even get to Remus's bed a very agitated Draco dashed into the room in a huff. Skidding to a halt in front of them a blush crept up Draco's face as he saw them still snogging, and he coughed slightly in embarrassment. 'Err...yeah well...umm...I'm sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, but ahh...' Draco began though it was clear he was hedging on what he had to say.  
  
'Draco? What is it, what's wrong?' Remus asked now, though still a bit out of breath from the heated kisses, he could see there was definitely something important Draco had to say from the way he looked.  
  
'Well ahh...you see we have to umm...that is the Transfiguration professor wants to see us,' Draco said hesitantly.  
  
'Oh really. And what is it that is so important that can't apparently wait till Monday when classes begin again, Mr. Malfoy?' Severus said with a scowl, clearly unhappy at being interrupted.  
  
Draco shot Severus a glare then muttered something under his breath. 'Sorry to break off your little lovefest here, _Professor_, but there is something important and no, it can't wait till Monday,' he said heatedly, then turned to Remus. 'Anyways, a message was just delivered to me by owl from ahh...someone who I can't say exactly and we - '  
  
'Malfoy stop playing these damned games with us. Who sent you a message and what is this about? What are you hiding from us?' Severus demanded cutting him off.  
  
Draco looked at Severus angrily a moment debating what to say, though he seemed to reach a conclusion quickly enough. 'Look I don't have time to tell you everything, you'll just have to come with me,' he said firmly.  
  
'Not until you tell us why,' Severus said standing his own ground.  
  
'Oh bloody hell, you are an impossible git, Severus Snape!' Draco muttered.   
  
'Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Malfoy. Now tell us what's going on or we aren't going anywhere with you,' Severus scowled.  
  
'I'll be waiting in the commons by the portrait, I suggest you be there if you want to know what's going on. Professor Riddle will explain everything to you when we get there,' Draco said heading out the door now before either Severus or Remus could say anything else.   
  
Not that they could have however, for both of them were too stunned at what Draco had just said to even move yet. Finally Remus broke the silence and said in a strange voice, 'Did...did he just say...what I think he said?'   
  
'The part about explaining things or the part about a 'Professor Riddle'?' Severus asked.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and smacked him on the arm. 'Don't be a prat, Sev, this isn't funny. He did say 'Riddle' didn't he?'  
  
'Hmm...well, I think that answers our question from earlier, Remus. I say we go,' Severus said.  
  
'I don't think we really have a choice, do you?' Remus replied with a light chuckle. 'This day just went from odd to downright surreal I think.'  
  
'Somehow, Remus, I get the feeling the day is far from even over yet,' Severus said quietly. Together the two of them headed out of the room to the commons, both of them hoping that before the night was through they'd have some of the answers they needed so desperately. Not to mention that maybe this 'Professor Riddle' could provide some clues as to how they could get home, because he very well might be their only hope in getting there.  
  


**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_**

_October 30, 2002__ 9:39 PM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy _


	10. Finding Fact Amidst The Fiction

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
**_  
Cheers to:_**  
  
**Beinfoy **(:blushes: cheers luv, I hope I still do! :P been worried about that fact lately :sigh:), **B-Elanna** (hope you're enjoying the other fics...doing my best! :)), **Leia3000 **(sorry on the lack of updating, been not to good a Summer for me :sigh: as for more Harry/Draco, don't worry on that count you'll see more! :grins:), **Shades **(:squeals: oh Kaiba! :hugs Kaiba then hands her back to her mum: now that was just what I needed luv! And it gives me a slight idea too! :whistles: you'll see though!)  
  
**SparkySparkles **(ah, another Sev/Remus person yey! If you interested in joining up a SHIP for this adorable couple and haven't stopped in yet, check out http://www.fictionalley.org/fictionalleypark/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13834, that's the CREW spot for the S.S. Master and Wolf, we're a SHIP that sails only for the delectable Sev/Remus pairing! :P)  
  
**Wildfire **(:laughs: yup someone did need to smack Draco about right then for that sheesh! :giggles: don't worry, more Sev/Remus to come, and Harry/Draco :P), **Angela **(ahhh! I knew I forgot to do something, send you those ecards! :wails: sigh: I have to find the blasted link again, or can you email it to me luv? Then I can show you Sev/Remus in all their glory! :giggles: hugs and kisses always m'luv!), **Asioleh **(ask and you shall receive luv, more H/D on the way! :P)  
  
**Temptress **(Yeah, Sev and Remus do know Tom Riddle is Voldemort, Remus because of Harry I'm going to 'assume' here, and Severus because of Albus. I'm sure by now those close to Harry after the whole CoS thing, remember part of this was canon to start with :P), **MistyKasumi **(if you want those pix just email me at piri_lupin_snape@yahoo.co.uk luv, I'll mail 'em over! :grins:), **Eternal Shadow **(I know :sigh: sorry on delays, just been a rough go of it lately, Autumn's now here though and hopefully I'll be back to normal! :)), **Random Slytherin **(:hugs back: long as those Slytherins are Lucius and Severus you got a deal on those chocolates luv! :giggles:), **Fannychan** (cheers luv! :hugs:).  
  
  
  
Whew, now that's out of the way...just a quick note...I am going to at some point pull Altered Reality off FFN. After looking things over I found I could do more with it, and there's other plots that cropped up, but I don't expect to rewrite it for a bit yet since I want to first make the attempt to finish Mirrorverse, as well as I am starting a pure Remus/Severus fic for those of us on the S.S. Master and Wolf. We need more just pure Rem/Sev and I'm one of the few writers left it seems who will do that, so I've got a challenge to make :chuckle: As for Deny Thy Father, I have the next chap half typed up, just lost 'inspiration' at the moment, but I hope by next week for that too. No promises or guarantees since I still have my Sev/OCF fic I'm working on.   
  
On a note with Mirrorverse, just a little thing I want to say on how I see the 'plot' going...I'll give you the hint that the book 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' will play a piece into this fic far as one aspect regarding Lucy, Edmond, Peter and Susan goes, and the 'wardrobe' itself. If you've read the book you'll soon start to see those aspects as the story moves ahead...if you haven't and want the 'hint' email me :)  
  
  


**_~~Chapter Ten: Finding Fact Amidst The Fiction~~  
  
_**

  
_'Harry...'  
  
'HARRY...'_  
_  
**'HARRY!'** _a voice said now breaking into the thoughts Harry was having at that precise moment.   
  
Harry grumbled and sighed, then turned to the offending person. 'What is it, Peter?' he asked sullenly.  
  
Peter gave Harry a strange look then said, 'I've been calling you for five minutes, Harry. What's wrong with you?' he asked.  
  
'Nothing, what did you want?' Harry replied staring back into the fireplace.   
  
After Hogsmeade and what had happened with the duel, he'd brought Peter back to the commons, how though he wasn't sure still. It bothered him slightly that he had such powers that he couldn't really control, not that he was going to let anyone else know that of course. More importantly, he knew that by-passing the wards on the castle was magic of the darkest type, powerful even, and it frankly scared him a bit. Right now he was in control of himself, but he wasn't sure when the next time he'd lose that control would be, and he didn't want Peter to end up the brunt of his anger and fears, not again.   
  
'Harry, Professor Riddle stopped in, he wants to see you right away in his office,' Peter said now cutting back in on Harry's thoughts.  
  
'Riddle? Wants...to see...me?' Harry asked now in surprise, and turned back to look at Peter skeptically. 'About what?'  
  
Peter shrugged. 'Don't know, but he said to come quickly, and alone. Will you go?' Peter said a bit worried.  
  
'Yeah...I guess I will. Why doesn't he want you to come too though?' Harry asked curiously whilst getting up from the settee he'd been sitting on.  
  
Peter shrugged again. 'He didn't say, just wants you to come alone. You'll be all right?' Peter questioned hesitantly.  
  
Harry nodded firmly. 'I'll be fine, Pete, I'm sure it's nothing major or he'd have asked for both of us to come. Why don't you see if you can get someone to rustle us up some food for later. Oh, and have them send up some stuff from Honeydukes like we planned on, eh?' Harry said with a small smile.  
  
Peter smiled back, nodding happily. 'Sure, Harry, I'll get right on that! I'll have them send up all your favourites,' he said.  
  
Harry nodded and began to head towards the common room entrance when he stopped short for a moment and looked back at Peter. 'Peter?' he said now hesitantly.  
  
'Yeah, Harry?' Peter asked.  
  
'Later we'll ask Severus for some healing potions, all right? I want you healed up properly,' Harry said guiltily.  
  
Peter walked over to where Harry was standing at the entrance and put his hand on Harry's cheek. 'I'll be fine, Harry, don't you worry 'bout me, all right? Now go see what Professor Riddle wants,' he said quietly.  
  
Harry sighed and gave Peter a strange glance, then nodded and headed out the entrance way, wondering what Riddle could possibly want of him. He still felt completely guilty about what he had done to Peter, that was something he knew he wouldn't get over any time soon. Then of course there was the fact that he was going to have to deal with Draco when the time came, and he was definitely not looking forwards to explaining this to the man he loved. As well as there was Severus and Remus he'd have to deal with, and he truly hoped Severus would have something for Peter to use so that he wouldn't have to go to Madam Pomfrey. The last thing Harry needed was anyone else to know what he'd done to the other lad, even if it was something the Harry of this world might have done in the past, he didn't like it at all.  
  
As he got to the first floor where the Transfiguration classroom was he walked into his professor's classroom, only to be thoroughly surprised by who he saw there. 'Draco? Remus? Severus? What are you three doing here?' he asked incredulously.  
  
'Harry?' Draco said as he ran up and stood for a moment hesitantly in front of Harry.  
  
Harry's face lit up into a huge smile and glancing round quickly as if making sure they were alone he then pulled Draco quickly into his arms. 'Oh, Draco, Dray...Dray...I miss you so much!' he said sighing happily, then before Draco could even respond Harry pulled him into a heated lips to lips embrace.  
  
A cough from behind them however made them break apart quickly, and Harry turned to face Severus and Remus. 'Ah, yeah...err...sorry 'bout that,' he said blushing. 'It's just that it feels like ages since I've been with Draco...you know?'   
  
Remus chuckled and nodded. 'We know, Harry, but tell us what's going on here? Are you all right? What's happening to you?' he ask curiously.  
  
Harry sighed and looked from Remus to Severus then to Draco. 'I wish I knew, Remus, I really do. It's hard to explain, these powers...they're so strange. It's like someone's controlling me, and I have no say in the matter. I lose all sense of reality, of what's right and wrong,' he said thickly. 'No matter what I do, the darkness...it's there...surrounding me...making me do things I don't want to do...'  
  
'Like...with Pettigrew?' Draco said hesitantly and gave Harry an odd look.  
  
Harry gasped and released Draco, stepping back several paces. His face paled, his body tensed, and a look of sadness, regret, and fear came into his eyes. 'You...oh Merlin...you know about that, Draco?' he said in a half whispered voice. Now that he was the one being confronted about it, he didn't like it at all.  
  
Draco sighed and nodded slowly, then gave Harry a mixed look. 'Yeah, it was kind of obvious those marks on him, Harry. I don't understand though, you've never been that way with me...why with him?'  
  
'Wait a minute here, aren't you angry with me for what I did to him?' Harry asked puzzled now.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and snorted. 'I should be, I know, but I'm not. It's not _your _fault, Harry, not really. Besides...I umm...well that is...' he said fidgeting now and looking towards Remus and Severus for some support.  
  
'What Draco is trying to say is, Lily Evans, rather your mother, has been very persistent herself. She's kissed him,' Severus said dryly, a slight grin on his lips.  
  
'If only that was the case!' Draco said in a heated tone of voice, then turned back to Harry sullenly.   
  
'What do you mean, Draco?' Remus asked confused now.  
  
'Don't you recall Lily dragging me off after we got back to Hogsmeade?' Draco asked Remus and Severus now.  
  
'Yeah, and? What 'bout it?' Remus asked.  
  
Draco sighed and turned back to Harry, a stricken look in his eyes. 'I'm sorry, love, but she ahh...well...let's just say I couldn't avoid the ahh...er...situation...any longer...' he said sheepishly.  
  
Harry looked at Draco oddly for a moment then surprisingly burst out laughing. 'You slept with her?' he said more amused than anything else.  
  
Draco shot Harry a glare then coughed and nodded slowly, a huge blush creeping up his face. 'Oh hell, Harry, I wouldn't call it sleeping...she flat out attacked me! Sheesh, you're mum...she's an animal!' he muttered. 'You try saying no to her for long, it doesn't work!'   
  
Now even Remus and Severus had to chuckle at poor Draco's predicament, knowing Lily Evans as well as they did. 'Well, that explains where you disappeared off to then. I have to say I do feel for sorry you, Draco, oh the horror of it all,' Remus said trying to stifle down a giggle.  
  
'Oh sod off, it's not very funny, Remus! At least _you _have Severus to shag...but noooo..._I _only get Lily...a blasted _woman _none the less!' Draco grumbled.  
  
'Oh stop it both of you, really it's not that funny,' Harry said trying to hide his own grin. 'Oh don't give me that, Dray, we're even now. Not that I want to be, Merlin knows I want to be in _your _arms, love, but I guess I did tell you earlier to do whatever you had to do in order to not raise suspicions. I guess I was hoping neither of us would have to do what we did, but it seems we had little choice,' Harry said with a grimace.  
  
Draco nodded sadly. 'Believe me, Harry, if I could have shoved her off again, I would have. Having sex with a woman is...er...well...it's gross!' Draco said with a shudder.  
  
'Tell that to the Draco Malfoy of this world then,' Severus said drolly.  
  
Draco snorted again. 'That Draco Malfoy is a stupid arsed git then for so-called pretending to fall in love with a woman. Let's not go there anyway, where's Riddle? He said he'd be here to meet us,' Draco said puzzled now.  
  
'Yeah, what is this about, Draco? I take it though you've all figured out Riddle is our Professor, and not evil in this world,' Harry said glancing round the classroom now.  
  
Remus and Severus nodded. 'When Draco came and told us who was looking for us, we figured that part out. I wonder why though he did want to see all of us?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
'That's very simple, Mr. Lupin, and if you will all come inside where less prying ears might overhear you, I'll tell you why,' a voice called out from somewhere's to their left.  
  
Harry remembered now this was where he and Peter had gone before when they'd come to see Riddle, the room they were all now hesitantly heading towards was his private chambers. As they entered the room the door closed quickly behind them, and Riddle stood there putting up several locking and silencing charms. With a wave of his hand he bade them to sit down on the sofas near the fireplace, then he too sat down in a chair close by, giving them all a strange look.  
  
'Professor? You ahh...you wanted to see us?' Harry asked hesitantly.  
  
Riddle turned to Harry and nodded, a questioning look in his eyes. 'Why don't we start with who you four really are eh? Then we'll go from there,' he said.  
  
'Err...w-who...we r-really are?' Harry stammered in confusion.  
  
'Why don't you tell us why you think we're not who we are supposed to be?' Severus asked curtly.  
  
'Let's just all lay things on the queue then shall we?' Riddle said. 'Harry, remember when I told you that my sources detected a disturbance yesterday when I spoke with you and Peter?'  
  
Harry nodded. 'Yes, sir, I remember you said that. What about it though?'  
  
'You were here with Pettigrew yesterday?' Draco asked Harry in surprise.  
  
'Peter Pettigrew is a member of the resistance movement, as are all of you, or rather...the real Severus, Remus, Draco and Harry are. We have been fighting against Master Dumbledore and his minions, including Maximus Potter and Armando Dippet for quite some time. Yesterday however something changed, and now I'm convinced it involves the four of you,' Riddle said slowly, looking at each of the boys in turn.  
  
'Why do you think that?' Remus asked.  
  
'As I was saying, yesterday my sources detected a disturbance, or rather a significant power surge coming from Salazar's Hollow, the ancestral home of the Slytherin-Potters. Originally we had thought that it was related to something Maximus was doing, but from my information now, it apparently wasn't. A secret owl to me earlier today showed that it's not possible for Maximus to have anything to do with the power flux, rather...it was Harry himself who had something to do with it,' Riddle said.  
  
'I don't understand..._me_? What did I have to do with anything?' Harry asked puzzled.  
  
'The trace my sources were able to pick up were not Maximus's magic trace, nor were they Dumbledore's. In point of fact, the person who was at Salazar's Hollow yesterday was none other than you, Harry, or rather, that Harrison Potter that belongs in _this _world,' Riddle said focusing his gaze on Harry now.  
  
'You've still given us no reason to tell you anything, nor why you think we're not the real people we're supposed to be,' Severus said crisply.  
  
Riddle turned away from Harry and instead now locked eyes on Severus for a few moments, neither man nor boy blinking or moving. After near five minutes however Riddle pulled his gaze away, blinking rapidly and then turning back to settle a dark eyed gaze on Severus, who was suddenly paler than he had been. 'How old are you really? Thirty? Thirty-two?'   
  
'Thirty-eight actually, Remus and I both are where we came from,' Severus said in a strange voice. 'How did you know?'  
  
'I noticed it right away actually, I saw you when you exited the library last night . The fact that you, Severus, managed to change overnight astounded me though. I was surprised that Frank Longbottom hadn't noticed the difference last night, then I realised you must have still had a shield round you from the 'original' Severus Snape, so no one but myself who's quiet well versed in seeing what others don't, and the other three with you of course, knew you looked any different. How was it possible for you to change appearances so quickly though?' he asked curiously.  
  
'Where we come from I use a potion to control what I am, the urges and all. Here I cannot use the potion, and the moon cycle is different, it sped up the effects and drained me of the potion immediately. Back where we come from we just went past the full moon, so in effect, it's as if a whole month had passed us by,' Severus said simply.  
  
'I see, yes that would indeed explain that aspect. Was Remus your blood servant back in your world as well then?' Riddle asked.  
  
'Whoa...a what?' Harry said now cutting in confused, and looking at Remus and Severus oddly. 'What does he mean by that?'  
  
Severus looked at Harry darkly, then sighed. 'You may as well know, Draco already does. I am a vampire, Harry, a blood vampire at that. Back home, I could control the urges of the vampire with a special potion, but here...Remus and I quickly found that things were much ah...different,' he said with a slight blush now. Turning back to Riddle though he said, 'In answer to that, no, Remus and I were most definitely _not _together back in our world, though we quickly figured out in this world that was also ahh...different.  
  
Harry looked at Remus and Severus who were now both blushing then broke out into a huge grin. 'Cool! So you guys are bonded or something now?'  
  
'Err...well it appears in this world, yes...we are ahh...bonded to each other, Harry,' Remus said softly.  
  
'I can bet some people won't like that idea when we get back,' Harry chuckled.  
  
'If you get back that is,' Riddle interjected now.  
  
All four turned back to face Riddle startled. 'What do you mean _if _we get back?' Draco demanded.  
  
'I mean, that if what I and my allies suspect is true, getting back may not be so easy, or impossible to do even all told,' Riddle said simply.  
  
'No, no, no...you don't understand, Professor, we _have _to go back. We _don't _belong here!' Draco said heatedly.  
  
'Calm down, Draco, let's hear what he has to say first,' Harry said putting a comforting hand on Draco's arm.  
  
'Calm down? _Calm down_??? I don't want to stay here shagging your mum all night long, Harry! I want to go back to _our _life together, remember that?' Draco argued.  
  
'Of course I remember our life together you silly git, how could I forget?' Harry asked in surprise.  
  
'Well you're doing a damn good job of forgetting it from what I see, Harry!' Draco muttered now and shot Harry a dark glare.  
  
'I'm not _forgetting_, Draco, I told you, I don't exactly know what's happening to me now do I,' Harry said back angrily. Turning to Riddle he said now, 'If you're so smart and everything, tell us what the hell is going on here?'  
  
Riddle looked at Harry intensely for a moment then went over and got something off the desk that was off to one side of his room. Walking back with a piece of parchment in his hand he handed it to Harry. 'Read this, maybe it will help clear up a few things.'  
  
Harry took the parchment hesitantly and looked down, scanning the contents, then with a gasp reread the post thoroughly. 'Is this right?' he asked skeptically.  
  
Riddle nodded and sighed. 'I'm afraid it is. I trust my sources.'  
  
'Why are you the one people come to anyway? What's so important about you?' Draco asked curiously.  
  
Riddle stared at Draco for a moment as if debating something then seemed to come to a decision. 'Can I trust the four of you?' he asked.  
  
'Until you give us reasons not to, I dare say we'll cooperate with you,' Severus said, the others echoing his sentiments.  
  
'Very well then, I'll tell you. I don't know about where you come from, but here I am the head of the resistance group, we're dedicated to fighting the evils that have become commonplace and acceptable. Here I am known within the Inner Council as "Lord Voldemort", a slight anagram of my name Tom Marvelo Riddle, though I suspect that where you came from you may already know that.'  
  
Everyone nodded slowly. 'Except in our world you're as evil as they come, a blight on the world, one that is nothing more than a murder who destroys anything and everything he gets his hands on,' Severus muttered.  
  
Riddle looked startled for a moment, then pensive, and got up to pace the room again. 'So, the worlds are in reverse, the mirror effect. This could be even worse then I thought,' he said quietly.  
  
'Will you stop being cryptic and tell us what you mean here? How can we go home?' Draco demanded.  
  
'If I had the power to reverse the effects and send you home, young Malfoy, I would, unfortunately I do not. There is only one person I believe in this world who has the power to do that, and I'm afraid if my sources are correct...currently he may very well be residing...in your world,' Riddle said slowly.  
  
'Whoa, wait a minute here, what do you mean...in our world?' Draco asked.  
  
'Harry, please read the note that's in your hand. Perhaps it will clear this up a bit, or not, I don't know,' Riddle said nodding towards Harry now.  
  
Harry nodded then in a strange voice began to read the letter:  
  
_  
Voldemort-  
  
You asked us to keep you updated on the goings on here at Salazar's Hollow, what we have to impart to you now is something very odd and strange indeed. Yesterday we reported to you a power surge coming from the Hollow, which originally we thought was related to Maximus and his goals in bringing back the Dark Lord Dumbledore. However on closer examination, we find that is not the case.  
  
I don't know exactly what happened here last night, but Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were here, that has been confirmed. An ally of ours reported that he saw the four of them sneaking into the Hollow last evening, and he invisibly followed them. From what our ally could gather from the snippets of information he overheard, we now fear the four of them may have turned against us. Harry is being influenced somehow, we fear he may be lost to us, that his goal now is to use the other three half-bloods and bring himself to power, not just restoring the old Dark Lord.  
  
There was some sort of spell casted last night from the Hollow creating the power surge, and our ally heard talks of 'otherworlds'. He then saw them all read in turn from something in Harry's hand, and hear him say they would use their powers, combining themselves with something, or someone rather, from another place. The next thing our ally knew there was a blinding flash of light and the boys were gone, but not before he swears on his life he saw images of eight people in the room rather than the original four. Duplicates of the four boys from what he managed to see, but all eight disappeared, though now we know they somehow got returned to Hogwarts mysteriously.  
  
After the power surge in the Hollow we ran a detection spell, and I need to warn you now, the traces we found are darker and stronger than anything we've yet come across. Even the old Dark Lord's magic wasn't this powerful, and the trace resounded from one person alone - Harrison Seth Potter. We fear he has now combined himself, and the others as well, with another Dark Lord's power from another place, and if he is left unchecked for too long, we fear the worst. Maximus and that old Master of his will look like child's play compared to what this new 'improved' Harrison Potter will become.  
  
Take heed Voldemort, keep a close eye on Harry and the other three. We fear Harry is going to use the powers of the vampire, werewolf and Naga-Veela to influence people to join him in taking over. Should that happen we are all doomed...  
  
Your most faithful and trustful allies,  
  
V. Crabbe and G. Goyle  
  
  
_Harry's voice was near broken by the time he finished reading the note, and he closed his eyes in pain. 'So...what...what does this mean now?' he asked in a small voice.  
  
Draco wrapped his arms round his lover tenderly, pain in his own eyes. 'Oh, Harry...this...this can't be right...' he said softly.  
  
'Boys, listen to me, and listen well. It seems you were not just 'casually' picked to come to this world, you were chosen, influenced even by the ones in this world,' Riddle said.  
  
'So you're saying it was no accident that we found that book in our world?' Severus demanded.   
  
'Book?' Riddle said quickly, 'what book?'  
  
'_Y Llyfrau Y Gan Melltigedig,'_ Draco said in a hushed voice.  
  
'The Book of the Cursed,' Riddle repeated under his breath and paled slightly. 'So it exists in your world as well, of course. I knew that thing should have been destroyed years ago, but it disappeared in this world before I could do so. Apparently Harry must have found it, and is using it to his advantage. However, I am not strictly of the opinions of my allies in this matter,' Riddle said.  
  
'What the hell does that mean?' Severus asked cooly.   
  
Riddle turned to Severus a moment, then refocused his gaze back on Harry, a thoughtful expression on his face. 'My allies are under the impression that Harry was doing this to bring forth even more darkness, to become the next Dark Lord, I disagree.'  
  
'Why?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
'Because I know the Harry, Draco, Remus and Severus of this world, and I can tell you this much, if they were intending harm I think I'd have known it. I'm under the impression that Harry wasn't trying to create 'evil' for himself and the others, but rather searching for a way to tap into powers that would counteract that. If anything, I can almost guarantee that he probably meant to use the book to tap into another world in which he was not 'evil', enhancing his ability to fight off the powers in which he is subjected to,' Riddle said.  
  
'So your saying the Harry of this world wanted to find a 'good' version of himself basically?' Remus asked.  
  
Riddle nodded. 'Exactly, by enhancing himself with powers of his Gryffindor blood-line, he would be guaranteed to be able to stop his father and Dumbledore from taking over again. Unfortunately I have a good suspicion that he found the 'wrong' Harry to combine with.'  
  
'What do you mean the 'wrong' Harry?' Draco asked coldly. 'There's nothing wrong with my Harry!'  
  
'Wait, Dray, I think I know what he means,' Harry said quietly, then turned to face Riddle. 'He wanted a 'Harry Potter' that wasn't tainted by Slytherin blood, right?'  
  
'I do believe that might have been his goal, yes,' Riddle said nodding at Harry.  
  
'Instead...he got me...' Harry said quietly, dejectedly even. 'I understand why he wanted to get rid of the Slytherin blood and power line...but with me, well...'   
  
'Harry? What is it?' Draco asked pulling Harry into him tighter.  
  
'Dray, I should have told you a long time ago on this but...well I'm not exactly 'clean' you could say,' Harry fidgeted.   
  
'Clean? I'm confused,' Draco said.  
  
'I think what you mean to say, Harry, is that where we come from, you already have the powers of Slytherin in you, don't you. That night you destroyed our Voldemort the first time, the night your parents died...you received a lot of Voldemort's powers, in essence, Slytherin's powers, since in our world Voldemort, Tom Riddle that is, is an heir of Slytherin. Am I correct?' Severus asked Harry quietly.  
  
Harry blushed and nodded slowly. 'Yeah, I found that out when I met up with him in second-year, in the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore...er...ours I mean of course, told me that's what he suspected. Why I could speak Parseltongue and all,' Harry said.  
  
'So, you've been fighting that darker side of you all this time,' Remus mused. 'And now it's been projected a hundred fold because the Harry from this world is a Slytherin heir not just in power, but blood, so in actuality - ' Remus began but was cut off.  
  
'You've gotten the worst end of the stick,' Riddle finished up with a sigh. 'What webs we weave eh? It seems, young Harry, that the Harry I know was a bit rash in his ideas, and he did indeed pick the 'wrong' Harry to combine with,' he said quietly.  
  
Harry sighed, nodded, then groaned, snuggling deep into Draco's embrace. 'So what do we do now? What am I supposed to do? I'm already being taken over by the darkness, I don't know how much longer I can hold out even. It's really powerful, I'm doing things I don't even know what or why I'm doing, but I just 'know' I can do it,' he said dejectedly.  
  
'I'm afraid, there isn't much we can do, Harry,' Riddle said sadly.  
  
'Hold on, you're saying that we just let Harry go evil and do nothing to stop it?' Draco demanded angrily.  
  
'I'm saying that we don't have the resources or the power to stop what's happening to him, not yet anyways. The old Harry was just beginning to try and fight his 'evil' side if you would, and his rashness at his attempts to purify himself and failing means we don't know what _this _Harry is capable of fully yet. What we've seen so far is only a taste I believe, a small thread in a very big tapestry. If we try to unravel, change or alter anything right now, we could do more damage,' Riddle said.  
  
'No way, there's got to be something we can do! I won't let Harry turn bad or evil. I won't lose him!' Draco said with a trace of fear now in his voice.  
  
'Dray...Draco, listen to me, love. Riddle's right, I'm scared too, but somehow I know he's right. Okay so the Harry in this world messed up by pulling us from our world, making the book show up for us when it shouldn't have...but there really isn't much we can do, just play it by ear and hope for the best,' Harry said.  
  
'Don't be daft, Harry, I'm _not _letting you go bad!' Draco said firmly.  
  
'You know, there might just be a way here to prevent this...I'm not sure though...' Severus said thoughtfully.  
  
'Sev? You have something in mind?' Remus asked curiously.  
  
Severus turned to Remus and nodded. 'Yeah, I do. The potion I take to control the urges of the vampire, perhaps, just perhaps, I can alter it.'  
  
'What good would that do?' Draco asked puzzled.  
  
'If it can keep the vampire side of me from becoming dominate, a very strong part of me mind you, than it can possible control the same urges to use the darkness within Harry is what I'm thinking,' Severus said.  
  
'You think it would work?' Harry asked more hopeful then he'd been so far.  
  
'I hope so, Harry. It may not be a permanent cure or anything, but it will for now, keep you clear-headed until we can come up with something better,' Severus said.  
  
'What do we have to do then?' Harry said matter-of-factly.  
  
'Now wait a minute, Harry, you don't even know if this is safe!' Draco argued. Turning to Severus he said angrily, 'You can't be sure this will even work, can you. It could make it worse!'  
  
'And maybe it won't, Draco, at least give Severus the chance, as well as Harry,' Remus said firmly. 'It's Harry's decision after all, he's the one fighting the darkness more than any of us. He has the most to lose here.'  
  
'Remus is right, Dray, it's my decision, and I say go for it. I don't want to lose who I am, I don't want to lose you again...' Harry said softly and looking up at Draco lovingly. 'I love you too much, Dray, please...let me do this...'  
  
Draco looked back at Harry and sighed deeply. 'I love you too, Harry, I don't want to lose you. I just want to go home, back to the way things were. I hate this lying and messing round with things, I hate not being with you.'  
  
'I do too, Dray, I do too. I promise, I'll find a way to get us home, my love. Besides, we have a cruise to take again right?' Harry said with a slight grin.  
  
Draco chuckled and pulled Harry close to him. 'That we do, and this time we're not coming back till we're ready, the world be damned eh? All right, take the potion, and meanwhile Severus, Remus and I will also keep looking for a way home,' he said quietly.  
  
'Can't we just use the same book to get home that brought us here though?' Remus asked now curiously.  
  
Riddle shook his head. 'I'm afraid it's not that simple, Remus. The book may have brought you to this world on your end, but it was Harry's magic that influenced it. Until we know for sure what spell he used for that, the book could end up sending you anywhere, there's no guarantee it would even send you back to your own world.'  
  
'Ah, I see. Well that wouldn't be good now would it. Who knows what else is out there,' Remus said with a slight shiver. 'Honestly I'm finding this world isn't so bad actually,' he said giving a cursory glance to Severus.  
  
Harry and Draco however saw that and grinned. 'Sure, you two get to be in love and shag all night long, how bad could that be?' Harry said dryly.  
  
'Very funny, Potter,' Severus muttered, though a slight blush crept up his face. 'Err, at any rate, I'll need to do some serious recalculations on the potion. It will take me at least a day, and I'll need to do some research first. Riddle, I'll need a way to get ingredients and a place to brew this in secret, is that a problem?'  
  
Riddle shook his head. 'Not at all. I can get what you need from Professor Jigger, he's a bit dense most days, thank Merlin. As for a place, I can think of a very good one, the library, no one ever goes there,' he said.  
  
'Well not that much is different in this world then as far as that goes,' Harry chuckled. 'Hermione's the only one who ever uses the library pretty much.'  
  
'Though it does make for a good meeting spot, don't you think, love?' Draco said with a grin.  
  
Harry laughed and nodded, snuggling into Draco's arms. 'That it does, or did rather, until this happened. If...when...we get home, Dray, let's find somewheres else to meet up eh? I think I'll avoid the library back home from now on less I have to,' he said with a groan.  
  
'I totally agree, love,' Draco said with a groan himself. 'Well, I guess there isn't much more to do tonight eh?'  
  
'No, I think for now we'll have to wait until Severus makes his concoction up, and go from there. Harry, if there is any time you feel like you're losing yourself, come to me all right? I'll do what I can,' Riddle said.  
  
Harry nodded. 'Right, if I can that is. I don't always know what sets it off, or when it happens. Sometimes it's just there before I can do anything or run from it. But if I can...I will,' he said quietly.  
  
'I think you should all go now. I'll have my allies discreetly look into some avenues of resources as well, see what they can come up with on mirrorworlds and power combining. There are some people I trust more than others who will get this information for me,' Riddle said heading towards the door.  
  
'Riddle, a question first?' Severus asked now getting up.  
  
'Yes, Severus?' Riddle asked.  
  
'What do you think is happening in our world? Has the Harry from here gone there? Have all of us from here gone there?' Severus asked curiously.  
  
Riddle thought on that a moment. 'Honestly, I don't know. The fact that you have the original memories from this world leads me to believe that it wasn't just a 'power' combination, but a physical one as well. Of course I could be wrong, the Harry, Draco, Severus and Remus of this world could very well have gone to your world, but as to what they are doing there, that I have no clue. This is something that's never happened before, there is no telling what has truly happened here,' Riddle said quietly.  
  
'Well, whatever the case is, I hope if they are in our world...they're behaving,' Remus said. 'Would be interesting however to see if anyone's even noticed we're gone from our world.'  
  
'Time may be moving differently, or the same in the two worlds, again, we have no way to know this though. Mirrorworlds are basically theory over fact, no one has ever done what you four have, so until things are put to right, we won't know,' Riddle said.  
  
'Let's go then, I want to get started on the potion reconfigurations. I'll get you a list by tomorrow hopefully, Riddle,' Severus said.  
  
'Just be discreet, Severus, right now no one can know there is anything different than what is going on, understood?' Riddle said.  
  
Severus nodded. 'Right.'  
  
With that Riddle undid the locking and silence charms and the four boys headed out into the classroom, then out into the corridor. Riddle redid the locking and silence charms, then turned back to the fireplace, his thoughts in contemplation.  
  
'So now what?' a new voice asked from the shadows, a figure stepping out from underneath an invisibility cloak.  
  
'Now we keep an eye on them, on him in particular. If Crabbe and Goyle are right, we may have more trouble than we had before,' Riddle said in a huff.  
  
'Blast that boy, why did he have to go and do this now? We were so close!' the new person said heatedly.  
  
'I don't think Harry knew what he was doing exactly, I don't blame him. Still, I agree, this was the wrong timing, not with Dumbledore already back in serpent form,' Riddle agreed.  
  
'I detected Dumbledore's form on Maximus in Hogsmeade, it's only a matter of time before Harry will give in fully you realize. When that happens, Merlin help us all,' the person said with a heavy sigh and sat down on the recently occupied sofa.   
  
'If Severus is successful with his idea, we may have hope though,' Riddle said.  
  
The other person snorted. 'For how long do you think eh? A few days? A week? A month? Face it, Voldemort, Harry is a danger, a threat to us all. No matter what form, no matter what changes he's trying to make to himself, by doing this he's only speeding up the situation. His words today in Hogsmeade only prove his true intentions for the future.'  
  
'Maybe, maybe not. He's trying to fight it at least, you have to give him that,' Riddle said defensively.  
  
'He's a Potter, Voldemort, they are evil from the word go' the person said.  
  
'You're not one to talk now, are you,' Riddle said staring daggers at the other man.  
  
The other person paled under the scrutiny for a moment then shook his head and chuckled. 'Nothing escapes you, does it,' he said.  
  
'When you're being careless, no, it doesn't,' Riddle said coldly.  
  
'Careless? I'm never careless, Voldemort, I know what I'm doing, have no worries on that area, or do you suddenly doubt me?' the other person said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
'Look, just do your job, and I'll do mine. Now that we know which book Harry used, find it. I don't care what you have to do, who you have to kill, just find it. And for Merlin's sake, don't you touch the bloody thing, let one of the others do it for you,' Riddle said angrily.  
  
The man stood up and stretched, then picked up the invisibility cloak and chuckled. 'You think I'm that stupid? I happen to like the life I've carved out in this world, so no worries on that fine point. I'll be round tomorrow, I have some unfinished ahh...business to attend to,' the man said draping the cloak round his shoulders.  
  
'You just better make sure you're not caught. Oh, and you'll bring you know who to me when you think he's ready to accept things as they are,' Riddle said firmly.  
  
The man grinned and nodded. 'Of course, he will be soon, not yet though, he's not broken enough just yet. Draco had a far easier time of it I can assure you, but I always did love a challenge.'   
  
'For the sake of us all, just be careful, I need you by my side if we're going to win this war. I won't let Maximus and Dumbledore win again. If only Harry hadn't gone off and done something as stupid as this now, but if need be we'll kill him before he loses himself completely to the darkness,' Riddle said.  
  
'Draco won't like that idea much I'd wager,' the man said wryly.  
  
'Draco won't have much of a choice now will he,' Riddle snapped. 'Now go, I'll see you tomorrow, report to me before you leave.'  
  
The man nodded. 'Tomorrow then,' he said, and with a few sharp words the locking and silencing spells were off the door and he was slipping out invisibly into the night, the spells relocking themselves behind him.  
  
Riddle looked at the now relocked door and shook his head. 'Merlin help us all if we fail in this Lucius, for if we do...then we're all truly lost,' he said sadly. With a shiver at that very thought even he then went off to write a note to a few well chosen associates, the evening weighing heavily on his mind. The war between good and evil was now beginning all over again, and this time Tom Marvelo Riddle wasn't going to let the evil win, no matter who got in the way, or what the cost would be. Good would triumph, even if it wouldn't bring back his wife or child, at least he would feel vindicated.

**_  
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I know I said there would be more H/D in this chap but it didn't seem to work out that way sorry mates :sigh: I promise however next chap there will be more of our dear Harry and Draco, after all they need a moment to themselves after all this eh? :chuckles: Promise! (and I'll smack Scabbers if he tries to sway me off that! :nod nod: )

_November 09, 2002__ 8:18PM__ ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy  
  
  
  
  
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	11. Wishing You Were Here With Me

****

**_~~Mirrorverse~~_**

**_Disclaimer_**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.

Cheers to everyone who reviewed last chap, sorry that I can't do the usual individual namings but my IE is messed up and I've having trouble getting to FFN for more than five min intervals :mutters:.

Forgive me again for being so neglectful on updating, the past few weeks have taken it's toll on me physically yet again, and the energy just isn't there when I want it :sigh: Hopefully though these new medicines I'm taking will help, going to keep my fingers crossed anyways! 

Not that I really intended to do this, but I've decided to put a semi-ending to this fic at the moment. Yes, yes I can hear the 'oh no's!' now, but sadly I truly want to wrap up my WIP's best I can. I'm getting a bit burned out again on Harry/Draco and need a break persay. I will not be ending Decade just yet though, I have more in store for that one. I fully intend when I've finished Decade to come back to this fic and 'fill in the gaps' so to speak, as to when I'm not sure. This is the 2nd to last chapter though, I hope to have the final chapter out in the next day or two.

On a side note...I'm beginning a new fic along with 2 co-authors this week that is quite unusual (or will be I hope :P). At the moment the title is iffy yet, leaning towards 'When In Egypt, Do As The Egyptian's Do', and it takes place over three different time periods - MWPP days, 2nd Century Roman Briton/Egypt, and Harry's days. It's a semi-historical AU, with the main pairing of Remus/Severus, and side smatterings of Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Sirius/OCF, Peter/OCF, James/Lily, and a few others. Meanwhile...enjoy the chapter! 

**_~~Chapter Eleven: Wishing You Were Here With Me~~_**

_October 1st_

_My wife once told me to give up hope is akin to giving up breathing. To give up either is folly she said, because as long as there is air to breath, so there should be hope to hold on to. How I crave to believe that, but it gets harder and harder with each passing day._

_I once asked my wife how she could want me, love me even, knowing that my heart still belongs to another, she merely replied, 'Because I just do.' In my way I have grown to love her over time, in fact she is my breath these days. She is my hope and my reason to keep living, despite the fact that there isn't much left to live for. When I think of how she manages to endure so much and asked for little in return, I know that I have to keep going for her sake, as well as our children. There is my son David, and my three daughters Misha, Ryanna and Jenifer. They are my angels, and I will protect them as best I can, even if my son now at fourteen has had to learn how to fight to survive, and has learned bitterness and hatred in place of love and respect._

_I wish I could say I too felt that same hatreds and desired revenge against my oppressor, but I don't. My son desires to destroy the evil that has ruled his life since his birth, but I know that is mere folly these days. He's but a scant fourteen years old, and as for myself, I feel far older than my thirty-two years of life. Perhaps a hundred and thirty-two is more like it for what I have had to endure these past fifteen years, and I no longer have the energy to fight, only to survive._

_What happened fifteen years ago you might ask? What brought me and the others to this state of poverty, this state of hiding in shadows and sneaking round as if we were common criminals? To be honest it would take pages upon pages to explain it all, but suffice it to say that time doesn't always heals wounds, it creates them. Hope ended up getting lost, and when that happened the darkness claimed it's victims. And my beloved, the one person I thought I couldn't do without, whom I loved with all my heart and soul...turned into my worst enemy._

_No, that's not quite true. Once, in another world that is long gone now, we were enemies for a time. Then something happened and we stopped being enemies; in fact we became lovers. We used to lie in each other's arms dreaming of the future and how we'd be unafraid to admit our love for each other in public. Though we know it would be pipe dreams, those who knew us would have destroyed us for our love, but we dreamed it anyway. How could we not believe in miracles when we were there entwined in each others arms? All that changed though fifteen years ago to the day. The day that a single book and a mistakenly casted spell destroyed our lives. _

_Not to stray though too much, I was trying, attempting rather, to put in a few words what happened all those years ago that turned us into such 'criminals'. To put it bluntly though the boy I loved has became a man I now fear. A boy that once was too shy to even undress his perfect body in front of me, now parades his lovers as conquests. Male or female he has no preferences, he will take anyone he finds attractive, and to refuse him is death. That however is his right these days, he is the darkness, our 'Lord and Master', ruler over the Wizarding World, or rather what's left of it. _

_Once he had a name, a wonderful name that I would speak with bated breath, whisper or scream out in ecstasy, now that name is forbidden to be spoken. Now he is addressed as simply 'My Lord', or 'My Master', to be 'intimate' with him would again be one's death, and I have personally seen those foolish enough to think they could capture his heart. Their skeletons still lay in public view as reminders you do not cross the Dark Lord. They were fools because they thought he had a heart to capture in the first place, but I know that today only a block of ice remains in place of that elusive organ. He is not capable now of love or tenderness, nor will ever be again I reckon, the darkness has him too deep._

_Fifteen years ago however when we arrived he was mine, my lover, my heart, my soul. That love is now empty however, laced with bitterness and regrets, and I have had to watch as the darkness claimed his soul until now there is nothing left of the boy I loved. When we first arrived here we had such grand hopes of going 'home', but the more time passed and the more we became lost here, the more the evils claimed him. In less than a year's time the sweet, angelic boy I had desired turned into a hard, cold, cruel man claiming the title 'Dark Lord'. _

_He had tried to fight it, oh I know he tried, but it was to be in vain. He of all of us lost hope the quickest, he of all of us needed the most help to fight the evil, but in the end we were at a loss as to how to help him. The more we tried, the more he struggled against the birthrights of this world, the deeper into the darkness he sank, and then it was too late. Harry James Potter as I once knew him, or Harrison Seth Potter as he was known in this world, what I now think of as the 'real' world, was no more. He became simply the 'Dark Lord', no name even, just simply as a title. _

_It only a few months after we arrived here in which the changes happened. By 'we' I mean myself, Draco Meritus Malfoy (though I used to be Draco Lucius Malfoy in the other world), Remus Lupin, Severus Snape and of course...Our Lord (I will not use his given name again, it hurts too much to even see it in writing). In those few short months before the darkness fell I thought...well that no longer matters. Suffice it to say though what I thought never happened. My once lover became our Lord, and from there life went downhill. Those of us that were Gryffindors were driven underground, fleeing Hogwarts. Some didn't make it, many died in our escape, but I, Remus, Severus, and a few others did survive. Including one Lily Evans Malfoy, the woman that kept me from falling apart after all was said and done._

_I don't know if I would have lived if it hadn't been for her, which is why I grew to love her as I do. I see how strong she is, how she keeps the young ones from losing hope, even some of the older ones. Most importantly she never blamed me for loving Our Lord, she never complained that at the beginning during our lovemaking it was his name on my lips, or that it was his hands I would imagine on my body. It took years before those hands, those caresses, those lips of his would finally become her's in my mind. Today I sometimes wonder if it was all real, if he and I ever were lovers, if it wasn't for Remus and Severus though I'd have to think that the other world had never even existed, but they are my reminders, even if they no longer remember that other world now._

_It pains me that they can't remember our old world, or that even in this world for a short time they were happy. You see they were captured and broken about six years ago, and when they were allowed to leave the private chambers of Our Lord they were only shells of the men they were. Our Lord isn't merciful most times, and after toying with Severus and Remus for weeks on end, doing things even I dare not think of...well when they were returned the wounds ran both physically and mentally. It took months of Lily's tender administrations to bring them back from near insanity, and today it tears me apart when I see how they react to even the simplest touches from anyone but each other. _

_I was the one that found them actually, though sometimes I wonder if I've done them justice by letting them live. We, that being the few members left of the Resistance, knew they'd been captured and taken to Our Lord, but I was the one who found them in Knockturn Alley, not far from our hideout. I barely recognised them to be honest, they were so bruised and battered that I passed them twice before realising that the bloodied bundles of rags were even alive, let alone that is was Remus and Severus. _

_I quickly came back and got my son and together we brought them back to our hideout, but since we are not allowed to use magic now the healing process was slow. It was Lily and Poppy Pomfrey, a mediwitch that once resided at Hogwarts, that told us how bad they were. Poppy told us they'd been subjected not only to repeated use of the Cruciatius Curse, but...well...let's just say Our Lord 'enjoys' himself in harsh ways, and it was all too clear they had become yet more victims of his 'desires'._

_How I have managed to escape his Death Guards is a wonder, considering I am a wanted man. I have a price of 100,000 Galleons on my head for my capture, and I have a feeling it's not just because I am head of the Resistance. Though I would have though he'd forgotten about me by now, I hoped he would have, but from my sources that isn't the case. He still cries out my name during his moments of...I wouldn't call in 'lovemaking'...but during those moments of what considers 'passion', I call it nothing short of brutality though. However, it's my name he mutters in his sleep, and my body he apparently still desires, and because of this I am wanted more than any other reason, though that is a well guarded secret known only to a select few. _

_My wife doesn't let me out of the hideout these days unless I am disguised. I tried to argue with her about that point, I still pretend to be a proud man, afraid of nothing, though she see's right through that. I know that though she may have the heart of a lamb, she has the temperament of a hungry lioness, and I have learned not to cross my wife in her wishes. I know she's right though, I have to leave the hideout and with me being wanted I really do have to be careful. I have no choice but to be alert and know what is going on out there, since I am the head of the Resistance it is my duty to keep informed._

_Tom Riddle, our old leader, was captured five years ago by Our Lord and put to death, and I took over because no one else really could. There is only about a hundred of us left that didn't immediately submit to Our Lord and become his slaves. We alone still try to fight in secret, many of those are children though, ranging from my son who's the eldest, to Frank and Cindy's daughter who is a newborn, though my wife is again due to give birth any day now I am proud to say. _

_You may wonder why we choose to have children in these dark times, but as Lily puts it, 'they are the light to the darkness, and they deserve to be here.' Wise as my wife is, I often wonder if she really just enjoys staying pregnant, not that I would ever dare ask her, but I know she is always happiest when she is with child, so I do what I can to keep her happy._

_I see time is running short now, the Muggle clock that we stole years ago tells me it's time for me to meet with one of my sources. I can already hear David getting ready, he enjoys these outings because when we have free time I tell him the stories of what life was once like before Our Lord took over. Of how there used to be a great school for mages called Hogwarts, now a prison for Our Lord's slaves and his personal home. I tell him stories of the 'other world', of course I don't tell him 'everything', but enough to keep him sated with tales of those long forgotten days. _

_I tell him how once long ago we walked free in the streets, of a time when there was such a place as Diagon Alley, which is now only a street of rubble at best. Of Quidditch which he has never seen, and of how we would fly through the air on broomsticks, something that only is dreamed about by our young. No matter how many times I tell him these 'tales' he always loves them, and in my heart I can only pray that one day...my stories will be real once again and we will be free..._

'FATHER! Come on, let's go already!' 

Draco chuckled at his son's enthusiasm then closed the small blackened journal book he'd found amidst the rubble in Diagon Alley years ago. Putting his quill and book into a special box and hiding it away under lock and key, he grabbed his disguise for the day. Going over to what was left of mirror he looked at himself and sighed. The man staring back at him didn't seem real, only a fictitious character in a bad novel or play, though he knew it really was himself he was looking at. 

Gone was the sleek silvery-blonde hair he once sported, replaced by mid back length scraggly pure white hair. Gone were the straight pearly white teeth he'd prided himself on, now yellowed and a few even broken and crooked. Gone was the unmarred face, now showing his 'battle scars' of his escapes from both Hogwarts and the occasional Death Guard squad when he was careless. His skin, though once pale, was now unnaturally so, death white even because he never went into sunlight. His outings were done under the darkness of night, but even then disguises were needed just in case, the Death Guards weren't overly bright at times, but no reason to take chances as Lily had said time and time again.

Pulling his hair into a bun he put on a wig of shoulder length black hair, and with a bit of ink he blackened underneath his eyes, later on he would add on a pair of black glasses. His favourite disguise was playing the blind beggar, someone that even the Death Guards rarely gave second glance to. To begin tonight's meeting he and his son would Floo out from their hideout over to Hogsmeade, the only Wizarding town left that was habitable. It was a den of sin though, prostitutes, gambling, booze and drugs these days, but amongst the denizens of all that Draco had a few 'contact' in the castle that he could pick up news from. Tonight in particular he was meeting one of his most important contacts, and he hoped for good news.

'DRACO DEAREST GET A MOVE ON OR YOU'LL BE LATE!' Lily now called out from the common area of the hideout.

'COMING!' he called back, thankful that the hideout was made of pure brick and sounds couldn't travel far. Lily, as well as most of the children who lived at the hideout tended to more often than not get a bit rowdy sometimes, though that only endeared them to Draco's heart even further. Putting the last touches on his disguise he walked out in the common room and smiled as he saw his surprisingly still lovely red-headed wife sitting near the small fireplace, her face bathed with a soft golden glow making her look purely radiant. For a moment he also sighed at that sight, noting that the fireplace barely gave off enough light or heat to be acceptable, but was all they had so he wouldn't disparage it. Going over to Lily he placed a tender kiss on her forehead and said in a rather husky voice, 'You make it difficult to want to leave tonight, my love.'

Lily rolled her eyes and swatted at him. 'Oh gone on with you, Drake. I'm a fat cow and I know it,' she chuckled. 'However...make sure you _do _come home in one piece...or else,' she said with a soft smile, though her voice hitched a tiny bit in hesitation.

'Don't I always?' Draco grinned. 'David, let's go!' he called out now.

Seconds later a rather scraggly looking youth shuffled into the room, three small girls behind him. 'Dad, tell them they can't go with us, won't you?' the boy said glaring at the girls.

'It's not fair, Daddy! We want to go too! We want to hear the tales!' the oldest of the girls said with a pout, then ran into her father's arms. 

Draco picked up his nine year old daughter gladly and swung her round for a bit making her giggle, then held her a moment tightly. 'Oh Jeni, I wish I could, but you know that your Mum would be so lonely if I took all of you,' he said glancing at Lily for support.

Lily laughed at his discomfort then nodded her head. 'Darn right I would be. Now girls, I promised you I would show you my old picture books again didn't I?'

The smallest of the girls, Misha, beamed at her mum. She was three but still looked like she was only a year old because of how undernourished they all were. Crawling up on Lily's lap she said, 'Mummy show us pictures?' she said with a huge dimpled smile.

Lily smiled back at her daughter and nodded. 'Ryanna, dearest, get the book from the cupboard won't you? Then I'll tell you all the stories of how your Daddy and I met and how we once could do magic,' she said.

'Magic...' Ryanna, the six year old said dreamily. 'Daddy? Will we ever be able to do magic?'

'Only when we kill off that prat Harry Potter,' David said with a snort.

'David!' Draco said sharply and glared at his son. 'You know better than that.'

'To fear the name only increases the fear in the thing itself, Dad,' David bit back. 'I'm tired of living like this, I want to see the world like you said it was.'

'And one day you will, son, but that day isn't now,' Draco said with a heavy sigh and put his hand on his son's shoulder. 'Now let's go, we have to meet my contact at nine sharp, I don't want to keep him waiting.'

'Right,' David said, 'I'll get the Floo powder.'

Draco nodded as his son went off to fetch the Floo powder jar from the kitchen area. Turning to his wife he said, 'Check up on Remus and Sev later won't you? I have a bad feeling again.'

Lily sighed and nodded. 'I do too. Poppy said that Remy's nightmares have been very bad lately, and with the full moon in only a few days...well we're afraid he may try something again.'

Draco nodded wearily. It was becoming a habit of Remus's that just before the full moon's he'd try to leave the hideout and do away with himself. Last month he'd found some silver and tried to poison himself, the month before he tried to drown himself, the month before that he shot himself with a Muggle gun he'd found. Luckily Severus had somehow gotten to his lover in time, but the damages, as well as the whole situation was weighing on everyone's mind and nerves. 'Frankly, Lils, next time maybe we should just let him die? I mean if that's what he really wants- '

'Draco Meritus Malfoy, don't you even _think _that!' Lily said angrily. 'Remus is a valuable member of the Resistance...when he isn't being...err...suicidal. Severus will keep him in check, and we're too few to lose _anyone_, even if they do want to do themselves in.'

Draco sighed. 'You're right, of course your right. It's just that...well...I suppose I best go,' he said sadly and walked over to the fireplace. 'David, let's go!' he barked out.

'Don't take your angers out on him, Drake,' Lily said warningly.

'I won't dear,' Draco said with a weak smile. 'Ah good, there you are, let's get going, we're late,' he said as his son walked back in the room. Taking just enough of the powder to work, since it was hard stuff to come by these days, he threw it into the fire till the flames turned green. He then stepped in and called out, 'Hogsmeade, Cellar Grate!' and was gone.

Not long later he arrived at an old abandoned cellar, this was the grate used by the members of the Resistance and so far thankfully no one had been caught using it. His son arrived just behind him and after they finished dusting themselves off he put on his dark glasses, gathered up a stick that he knew would be nearby, and they headed out the secret entrance. Making sure no one was about David the pretended to help his father as they headed towards the Three Broomsticks to meet up with Draco's contact. 

As they stepped into the Three Broomsticks they had blink to adjust to the bright candlelight. It was lit up inside like a Yule tree, something that made Draco envious since all they could do was steal candles for the hideout, and that wasn't always easy. Making his way over to what was thankfully a semi-darkened corner he sat down at a table where a man in a hooded black cloak was waiting. 'The sun no longer shines,' Draco said in quiet voice.

'But the owls are still round,' the hooded man said back in a hushed voice. Then moving his hood back slightly gave a smile and said still keeping his voice low, 'Good to see you, Drake.'

Draco smiled back though briefly, he was still of course pretending to be blind so he didn't want to blow his cover. 'Good to see you too, James. How's things at the castle?'

James shrugged. 'As good as can be expected. My brother is still an insane prat, and I still hope to the Gods someone will do something about it,' he said in a huff.

Draco shook his head sadly. 'We're trying. Any luck on that particular...object...I asked you about?' he asked in a half whisper.

James grinned. 'This must be your lucky day, my friend. Luc nearly had a heart attack when you asked this of us, but somehow- '

'You found it?' Draco said cutting James off sharply. 'Where is it? Lucius didn't touch it did he?'

'Calm down, Drake, no, he didn't,' James said slightly affronted. Reaching down underneath the table he passed Draco a bag with a heavy object in it. 'Just be careful. You know if you're caught with this...'

'Yeah, yeah I know, James. I don't know where it came from, in fact I don't know nothing,' Draco said heatedly. Holding the object in his hand reverently his eyes shone bright. 'Now the big question is...can you get him to where I told you?'

James snorted. 'You're a nutter you know. What if this doesn't work? Luc will have my hide, and Lily, gads man, what will your wife do if you get captured?' 

Draco shook his head. 'I won't, and if all goes well, Jamie...this will all disappear like a bad dream. For all of us,' he said quietly and glanced down at the book. 'Just get him there and I'll do the rest. We've only got two days till the next full moon, so it has to be tomorrow night.'

'Remus still trying to kill himself eh?' James said with a sad shake of his head.

'You blame him? The nightmares are getting worse, even during his waking hours he still sees- ' Draco began but stopped short and shivered. 

James nodded. 'Understandable. I knew my brother was bad, but on those two he was more vicious than I'd ever seen him be. I only thank Merlin that Sirius managed to get Peter away in time.'

'How are they by the by? Have you heard from them?' Draco asked.

James nodded. 'Got an owl only last week, secretly of course. They're still madly in love and having a better time of it then we are I assure you,' he said with a snort. 'They're in Egypt at the moment, trying to see what they can come up with. Just in case your plan fails.'

Draco muttered an oath under his breath. 'It won't, I won't let it, James. If it does...you have my permission to kill us both.'

'Dad, no,' David said cutting in now. 'Don't say that, what would Mum think?' 

Draco smiled softly and put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. 'Your Mum would want it that way, son, if it could save us all. The needs of the many always outweigh the needs of the few.'

'Well said, Drake,' James nodded. 'Right then, I'll do ask you ask. Just in case though may as well have the back-up in mind.'

Draco nodded then prepared to leave. 'Tomorrow night then, I'll make sure we'll be there. You just make sure he is as well.'

James nodded then pulled is hood back over his face. 'Tomorrow then.' Without another word James got up and left the table, Draco and David following up about five minutes later. 

As they got to the grate to go back to the hideout David turned to his father and asked, 'Dad?'

'Yes, son?' Draco asked.

'You're going back tomorrow...aren't you,' David said quietly. 'Don't you want us anymore?'

Draco turned and looked at his son, sadness in his eyes. 'Of course I do, David, I always will love all of you, but this isn't where I...where we...belong. For fifteen years I have been holding the barest, slimmest chance of returning to where we came from, and now, with this book, I hope to do that.'

'But...but about us? What about me and the girls? And Mum? How could you do this to Mum?' David asked angrily.

'David, you're Mum is a wonderful woman. The sweetest, kindest, most giving woman I know, and I do love her more than you can imagine. But even she understands that my heart has always belonged elsewhere, and now I want that heart back,' Draco said.

'So you're leaving us, just like that, because of so-called 'love'?' David asked astonished.

'It's more complicated than that, David,' Draco said warily.

'How?' David demanded.

Draco sighed. 'I can't explain it really, but I will tell you this. Years ago in my research of 'Mirrorworlds', before books became banned and were burned, I found out that Riddle was wrong. The 'Harry, Draco, Remus and Severus' of this world didn't in actually, go anywhere.'

'I don't get it, what do you mean?' David asked puzzled.

'Basically what I found out was that night that the 'Harrison Potter' of this world casted his spell with the other to bring us here, we actually 'fused' with them. Riddle thought the others had gone to a different world, but that wasn't the case. The reason why we got their memories, and everything else...was because we became a part of them,' Draco said.

David thought on that for a moment. 'So...it's sort of like when you mix red and blue together to get purple?'

Draco grinned and nodded. 'Exactly like that. You take the two completely different colours, and make one new colour, though also you are keeping tiny bits of the original colours at the same time. That's exactly what happened with us. Two totally different people mixed together and formed one new person. The reason we were able to have memories of both worlds was because we simply got meshed together. Though sadly I think I'm the only one that still remembers the other world. Severus once told me it's because I was the least likely to get corrupted, I had nothing to lose anymore, hence why I never did fall under the spells of this world,' he said.

'Oh, I get it now! That just goes to prove you're the best that's all,' David said with a grin, then wrinkled his brow in thought. 'But, what'll happen then if you leave?'

'Well, son, if my theory is correct, and hope it is, when I cast this spell tomorrow night it will split us back to who we were. Two different people that belong in two different worlds,' Draco said quietly.

'Will...if it works...will you remember us?' David said fidgeting slightly.

Draco shook his head sadly. 'I don't know to be honest, son. Now let's go before your Mum worries eh?'

David smiled and nodded. 'Yeah, don't want her to worry with the baby on the way and all. I hope it's a boy this time, I'm tired of sisters!' he grinned.

Draco laughed and ruffled his son's hair. 'What, and give up being the only boy so you can bully all your sisters round?'

'Aw, Dad,' David said trying to dodge his father's hand. 'Still, a brother would be nice!' he said, then grabbing up the Floo powder threw it into the grate and said, 'Knockturn Alley!' and was whisked away.

Draco looked at the empty fireplace a moment sadly. What he hadn't told his son, or even Lily for that matter, was that if what he suspected in his research was correct, this would be the last day he would see his family. If he was right, and he was 99% sure he was, come tomorrow once he casted the spell from the book in his hands one of two things would happen. Either nothing at all would happen and he'd be captured for his efforts and most likely put to death, or it would split them all back apart into two different people, sending one set back to the moment of the first casted spell, and the other set returning to whence they came. 

In his heart he hoped for the latter option of course. Tomorrow night would tell though, come tomorrow night either he would become 'Draco Lucius Malfoy' once more, or he would forever remain 'Draco Meritus Malfoy', husband, father, criminal and wanted man. If this didn't work there was nothing left to hope for, he'd be dead anyway and the Resistance would be over. His wife and children would become the Lord's slaves, or simply put to death as well, and as for the others, he didn't want think anymore on it.

As he lightly fingered the cloth covering the book in his hands he prayed now with all his heart that come tomorrow night he would once again be back in his lover's arms, and this would have all have been a bad dream. The only thing wasn't sure of though was once they did return what would happen. He had no clue if time was moving at the same pace, if fifteen years here was fifteen years in the other world. Whatever the case would be though he'd have his lover back, and hopefully everything would turn out for the best.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

****

_January 15, 2003__  10:25__ PM  ©Piriotessa/Piri Malfoy/Piri Lupin-Snape_


	12. Righting The Wrongs

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

  
  
**Disclaimer**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
On a side note, I've begun a new ficcie that's a bit different. Again it's pure AU, centred in the 1940's. I've taken the MWPP and set them back during a dark time in history. Wars are being raged on two fronts, magical and Muggle, and this follows a young Severus Snape and how he copes with tragedies, angers, betrayals and even love. It can be found at FFN or at http://piriotessa.writing.com/ in my Harry Potter Fics folder.   
  
On that note I want to yet again take a moment to recommend the site above. It's free to sign up (and you don't even have to sign up to browse), and has such wonderful things to read, explore and participate in. From campfires (round robins) to interactive fics to live journals that can be for your private thoughts only or for all to read if you so choose. If you have time I highly recommend the site and I know you would all enjoy it!   
  
They do have Harry Potter fanfics there amongst many other fanfictions, and they also have no problems with NC fics (though haven't seen many) if you want a place to post any you might have written. Not to mention original stories, prose, poems, non-fiction, etc. My favourite genre is the gay/lesbian of course, and I do have a few things also the fantasy category that I adore. Anyways, enjoy it if you do go there! Again the link above is my personal portfolio, from there you can sign up or just simply access the site in general, take a peek, it's worth it! :)  
  
  
This is the actually going to be the second to last chap of Mirrorverse, I was going to end it here but this new idea came forth during typing and I can't leave it as it is now. If I have time I will come back and A. redo the fic in entirety, or B. fill in the gaps of the years tween chap 10 and 11. I am known for revamping my fics, so it's likely I will do this at some point, just no clue when. Meanwhile I hope you enjoy my other fics and please email me with any questions you have or just in generals. Ta!  
  


**_~~Chapter Twelve: Righting The Wrongs~~_**

  
'Come on, Harry, it'll only take a few moments, promise,' James pleaded.  
  
Harry looked at James skeptically, his green eyes flashing with suspicion. 'All right, James, what's this all about? Why have you brought me to this place?' he asked.  
  
'Nostalgia?' James said with a slight grin.  
  
Harry scoffed at him. 'I don't recall any fond memories of the library, James, in fact I have few memories of this place at all, and not one of them is good. Now tell me what this is all about or I won't go another step,' he said crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
James stopped and looked at his brother, taking in every detail of the man he once knew. Gone was the shyness, hesitancy and innocence that Harry once held, replaced by a darkness that crackled round him like flames. Once warm green eyes now were cold, calculating, and harsh. Where Harry was once a bit on the pale skinny side, he'd grown into a muscular, well kept, healthy looking man. His glasses had long ago been abandoned by using an eye correcting potion, and where once smiles would have creased his lips, only scowls and frowns took it's place. He mentally sighed at how many changes had taken place in the world over all in the last fifteen years, and how hard and cruel life had become for almost everyone under his brother's dictatorship rules.   
  
Which was why James had been secretly helping the Resistance for years now, nearly from the beginning really. He had been devastated when Riddle was killed by Harry, but had to admit that Draco had effectively taken the man's place, and had helped out quite a few refugees by now. Draco had been very successful in getting those sought after mages out of what was left of the Wizarding World, sending them to the Muggle world whenever possible. James himself had seen to things on his end by placing some key Resistance people inside the castle to keep him posted of what went on. So far things had been working nicely, but Draco's latest plans had him worried.  
  
James didn't know why the book he'd given Draco yesterday was so important, but obviously Draco did. Whatever the case he'd promised the other man that he'd bring Harry to the library at Hogwarts tonight, and he had every intentions of doing just that. He was skeptical that Draco's plan would work, but he had to give the man the benefit of the doubt, for everyone's sake. James wanted the darkness ended just as much as Draco did, and any good idea at this point would be acceptable, he just prayed to Merlin that this new idea would work as Draco said. If Draco was right, even though he was being vague on things, come tonight the darkness would end.   
  
'James, I'm warning you now, this better not be a trick,' Harry said cutting into James's thoughts.  
  
James sucked in a quick breath of air and let it out slowly, then turned to look at his brother, a smile now on his face. 'Ye have little faith, dear brother.'  
  
'In you?' Harry snorted. 'None. Now what is the reason behind this little 'trip to the past'?' he said coldly.  
  
James feigned a scowl. 'Now if I told you, Harry, it would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it.'  
  
'I hate surprises,' Harry spat out.   
  
'Please, Harry, just indulge me...this one time?' James pleaded.  
  
Harry shook his head and sighed, throwing a dark gaze at James. 'Fine. But if I find this was a trick, you're going to regret it, brother or not.'  
  
James silently groaned and prayed yet again that Draco's plan would work, but on the outside he just nodded his head, flashed his brother another quick grin, and continued down the hallway to the double doors of the library. Stopping outside he hoped that everyone was in position; he'd smuggled Draco and a few others inside the castle earlier today, using heavy shielding spells at that since Harry's magic could trace nearly everything that went on at the castle fortress.   
  
'Well?' Harry said impatiently. 'Are we going to stand here all night or what, James? I have people to question yet tonight, so I don't have time for loitering,' he said, a strange dark glint in his eyes as he apparently was already thinking of what he was going to do to the victims of today's 'questioning' session.  
  
James nodded then pretended to fumble with the large brass handle, knocking it loudly against the door itself to alert those inside. 'Err...sorry, door's a bit stuck,' he said sheepishly, then a moment later finally opened the door and stepped inside. 'Whew, been a while eh?'  
  
'Yes, quite,' Harry said dryly and stepped inside the library to glance round. 'Smells awful in here,' he then said wrinkling his nose.  
  
'Dust and mold from years of being shut up and unused no doubt,' James said stepping inside to peer round. He thought he saw a slight movement off to his left but didn't let on, only kept walking ahead, grateful that Harry was following him. 'Seems like yesterday this place was your secret meeting grounds eh, brother?'  
  
'Why the sudden interest in the past, James? If I were you, I'd let the past stay buried. Doesn't do anyone any good to bring it up now,' Harry muttered bitterly and stepped into the centre of the room.  
  
As he did that James turned round, spotted something behind Harry and then said in a heavy tone of voice, 'Because sometimes...sometimes the past is all we have, brother. And now it's time to take that past back.'  
  
Harry didn't even get a chance to respond to that as someone suddenly shouted out, 'Petrificus Totalus!' from behind him, and down on the ground he went. 'Bind him, James!' the person's voice said quickly.  
  
James nodded and taking out his wand he quickly muttered a binding spell and watched as thin snake-like cords wrapped themselves round his brother's body. When that was done he added on a spell that would take his brother's voice away temporarily, just in case Harry got free somehow. Whilst Harry wasn't tied up silencing him would have been impossible to do, Harry had major shields round him as protection. Then there was also the fact that to cast that spell you needed a wand, and Harry had made sure that only a few select people had one by passing a law that anyone but his officials that were found with a wand were executed on sight. James however was allowed a wand of course, and right now he was grateful for that since even after all these years he still didn't know all the things his brother was capable of, considering Harry rarely used a wand these days himself.  
  
Nodding now at the person who'd spoken, he kneeled down next to his brother and said, 'I'm sorry, Harry, that it has to be this way. It's time for this to end though, and it ends now.'  
  
'Cheers, James, I'll take it from here,' Draco said as he stepped from the shadows, Remus and Severus behind him. As James got up Draco took his place, kneeling down next to Harry, a sad look upon his gaunt face. 'Oh, Harry,' he whispered, 'I've waited years and years for this day.'  
  
Harry could only stare at Draco through his binds, a look of surprise and something else, perhaps even a bit of recognition, flowing through his emerald green eyes. Draco however wasn't going to tempt fate by releasing the Petrificus yet to let Harry speak, and to be honest he didn't want to hear Harry's voice, not yet, not here or now. He had a good feeling if he did he wouldn't be able to do what he had to do, and time right now was of the essence.   
  
'Severus, draw the circle now,' Draco said.  
  
'Yes,' Severus said in a raspy voice, and not even looking at Harry took a piece of broken white chalk from his pocket and began to trace a large circle round the five of them. When it was done he stepped inside the circle, tossing the piece of chalk to the floor.   
  
'Draco?' James said nervously, unsure of what to do next.   
  
'Step outside the circle, James, or you might get caught in the spell,' Draco said.  
  
James nodded and stepped outside the circle, a worried expression clearly in his eyes. 'Are you sure this'll work?'  
  
Draco shrugged. 'In theory it should work, there's no way to really know for sure though. We weren't there all those years ago when the real Harry did this, but from my calculations...it should work.'  
  
'What about your wife, Draco? Your children? Does Lily know she may never see you again?' James asked curiously.  
  
Draco sighed and nodded slowly. 'She knows, James, and she understands. Listen...I know I'm asking a lot here but...if anything should happen and this fails...'  
  
'Don't worry, I'll make sure they're safe, Draco. Just don't fail, all right?' James said quietly.  
  
Draco chuckled weakly and nodded, then stood up and went over giving James a tight hug. 'Cheers for being there for us all these years, and for everything you've risked,' he said with a hitch in his voice.  
  
'Hey, keep it together eh?' James said, a hitch in his own voice, 'Go on, Drake, do it.'  
  
Draco smiled for a moment and then with a nod at James turned back round to face Severus and Remus. 'We're going home, do you remember home?' he asked them quietly.  
  
'H-home?' Remus said, a strange light glittering in his brown eyes.  
  
'Home...' Severus said, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. 'Potions?' he asked curiously.  
  
Draco grinned and nodded. 'All the potions you could ever want to make, Severus. Home, where you were once a master at making them, where you can be free again, all of us.'  
  
'Free, really...free?' Remus asked, an urgency in his voice as he looked helplessly at Severus.  
  
Severus went over and put his arms round Remus's thin body, holding him closely. 'I don't remember ever being 'free', but...I think...I remember that once...we were able to love each other...and not be...afraid...' he said softly.  
  
'Love...I'd almost forgotten what that was,' Remus replied softly, tears in his eyes now. 'Will...will you still want me when we go to this new home, Severus?' he asked in a small voice.  
  
'Always, I will always want you, Remus...my Remus,' Severus whispered as he hugged his lover tightly. Looking at Draco he said, 'You promise us in this new home we'll be free?'  
  
Draco sighed a moment, knowing that neither of them really did understand the concept of 'home' anymore. Last night when Draco had talked to them about what the plans were for tonight they only seemed to understand that it was a 'new' home they were going to, that it wasn't really where they had originally come from. He only wondered now what was going to happen when they did get home, what would change...and what would remain the same. More to the fact, if they would remain the same, as broken and hesitant and shy as they were now. Turning to look down at Harry it was now with a hardness in his eyes, he couldn't help for a moment to feel angry at what this man had done to him, to all of them even, over the last fifteen years.  
  
Kneeling down Draco looked at Harry, noticing how time had changed the boy he'd loved into the man he'd come to nearly hate. Whilst he had to scrimp and save, steal and beg for food, Harry was denied nothing. Whilst Draco's robes were threadbare, Harry's were resplendent; green and black silk that screamed how dear they must have cost, and were made just for him and him alone. Whilst he and his wife had to use cheap stolen candles to sew and cook by, Harry had servants and house-elves to cook, clean and cater to his every whim. For a moment Draco's rage almost took over and he wanted to hurt Harry as he'd been hurting all these years, but the rational part of Draco knew that it really hadn't been Harry's fault, at least not 'his' Harry's fault.  
  
Taking a wrapped package from his frayed robe he gently tipped it until a book fell out on top of Harry's chest, making sure not to touch the book himself. Looking up at Remus and Severus he beckoned them to step in on each side of him, and he gently took each of their hands in his. He noticed that they shivered at his touch, and once again his rage threatened to boil to the surface, knowing that it was Harry that made them this way, but now wasn't the time for anger, he knew that. Making sure his grip was tight on their hands he looked back down at Harry, noticing not anger, but something else in the other man's eyes.  
  
'You remember this book, don't you, Harry,' he said in a thick voice. 'Y Llyfrau Y Gan Melltigedig', The Book of the Cursed. It's what brought us all here fifteen years ago, and what I've been searching for since. You tried to find it, I know that, but you didn't thankfully. I know if you had you would have destroyed it like you did all other books, and with it all my hopes and dreams. You didn't find it though...I did, and now I'm going it to use it to get us home.'  
  
'Do you remember home, Harry? Our home, where we were born? Do you remember that we once loved each other more than life itself? Do you remember the Summer before we came here, the cruise we took? Do you remember the way you would hold me, touch me, make me feel alive and needed?' Draco said with a despondency. 'I do. I remember everything, Harry. I remember how I loved you, how I needed you. How your lips felt on mine, and how good it felt to be making love to you. I've tried to hate you all these years for what you've done, not to just me and my family, but all of us. I couldn't really hate you though, how could I? All I ever wanted was to have your arms back round me, holding me, to be back in your bed wishing that we were back on that ship, and that none of this had ever happened.'  
  
'I don't know what will really happen once we all touch this book, but it can't be worse than what's been all these years. I want you back, my love, more than ever,' Draco semi-whispered now, and nearly laughed when he finally saw a look of understanding in Harry's eyes, in fact even a look of pure sadness. 'It's time then...let's go home...'   
  
With saying that he took Remus and Severus's hands and touched them to the book, and as he did that a huge flash of pure white light surrounded all four of them. A wind kicked up from nowhere and began to howl, and the sounds of voices echoed round the library. 'Take us home!' Draco then cried out, and in a moment's time the light grew so bright that James had to close his eyes against it.  
  
The next time James Potter looked up the room was empty, and not even a fleck of dust was even stirring. Only the chalk circle remained to show that anything had taken place at all. James was surprised but didn't want to analyze it at the moment and began to head for the door, a sound however alerted him that something wasn't right, and turning back yet another bright flash of light filled the room. Before he could do anything however something hit him in the head throwing him backwards against the wall and he blacked out.

********

'Think he's dead or something?'   
  
'Him? Nah, he's too annoying to be dead. Oi, Jamie? James Michael Potter, get your arse up, we're going to be late!'   
  
James groaned as he felt someone poking him, and tried to brush away whatever it was that was now annoyingly sharp. 'Hey, quit that, Harry!' he said with a scowl.  
  
'Harry?' a voice said curiously. 'Hell man, will you wake up already, you're dreaming again. Don't let her here you say things like that though, she'll have a row if she thinks you're dreaming about some bloke instead of her!' the voice chuckled.  
  
James shook his head and opened his eyes, nearly doubling over as he saw who was speaking to him. Looking up at the person he realised he was on the floor, and taking a quick glance round he also realised he was still in the library, but not as he'd last seen it. 'What's going on? S-Sirius...is that...you?' he asked now puzzled.  
  
The boy who James had been speaking to rolled his eyes and stood back up. 'Ah, he's all right. Come on, Jamie get up, we'll be late for Potion class, and you know Jigger will take points for that. He hates Gryffindors as it is, and us four in particular,' Sirius said feigning a groan.  
  
'G-Gryffindors? Jigger? Potions?' James repeated dumbly as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head.  
  
'Do you need see Madam Pomfrey, James? It looks like you hit your head,' another boy said hesitantly.  
  
James turned at that voice, astonished by what he was seeing. 'P-Peter?' he stammered, shocked by the small boy he was seeing.   
  
'Yeah?' the boy, apparently Peter, asked curiously.  
  
'Maybe he does need to see her, he looks dazed to me,' another boy with brown hair said as he peered at James curiously.  
  
James blinked and rubbed his eyes, groaning again as he tried to stand up only to get halfway up and fall back down on his bum. Looking back up at the brown haired boy he said weakly, 'Maybe I should umm...see her...err...Remus?'  
  
Remus shook his head and helped James get up, keeping one arm round the other boy's waist to balance him. 'Look, I'll get him to Hospital Wing, you two head on down to class. If Jigger asks where we are, and no doubt he will, just say James had a fall and I took him to Madam Pomfrey all right?'  
  
'Sure, Moony, no problem,' Sirius said with a nod. 'Come on, Pete, let's go. Last time he took off ten points for being late, and we're already down fifty for yesterday's prank.'  
  
'Well I told you not to put that dung bomb in Severus's cauldron, Sirius,' Remus snapped.  
  
'Greasy git deserved it, Moony. He was looking at you funny again,' Sirius muttered.  
  
'I can handle Severus Snape, Sirius. Just leave him be all right? Haven't you done enough to him?' Remus muttered.  
  
Sirius stared at Remus a moment, then shook his head. 'You know if I didn't know better I'd say you two were having an affair or something, the way you're defending him lately.'  
  
'Err...perhaps you should just leave it be, Sirius,' Peter said hesitantly, and looked at Remus worriedly.   
  
Ignoring Peter, Sirius just kept looking at Remus. 'Are you?' he asked.  
  
'Am I what, Sirius?' Remus asked impatiently.  
  
'Having something on with Snape?' Sirius demanded.  
  
Remus sighed and just shook his head. 'If I was, do you think I'd really tell you, Sirius?' he replied, then began to lead James towards the doorway, only to be stopped halfway there.  
  
'Tell me the truth, Remus. Are you having something on with Snape?' Sirius demanded angrily.  
  
'Look, this isn't the time for this- ' Remus began only to be cut off.  
  
'This is damn well the time, Moony!' Sirius argued. 'You're not leaving here until you tell me the truth. What is it between you two? Out with it, yes or no?'  
  
Remus didn't even get a chance to respond when a voice out of nowhere replied for him. 'That depends.' Three of the four boys nearly doubled over in shock as a figure came out of the shadows and walked over to them, a person they knew all too well.  
  
'Severus?' Remus asked hesitantly, questioningly even.  
  
'What's going on? What are you doing here, Snape? Following us round again?' Sirius said angrily and stepping forwards as if to shield Remus from the Slytherin boy.  
  
'Be quiet, Sirius,' Remus snapped and pushed Sirius out of the way. Looking at Severus now he seemed unsure of himself, nervous even. 'Severus?'  
  
'I believe Black asked you a question, Lupin. Do you intend to answer him...or should I?' Severus said keeping his gaze centred on Remus.  
  
'What...what do you want me to answer?' Remus asked quietly.  
  
'I want you to answer him truthfully,' Severus said. 'Are we or aren't we having an 'affair' as Black so nicely puts it. Or...is it something else that is going on between us?'  
  
Remus didn't even notice that James had suddenly left his grasp and was standing on his own, looking at all of them with a strange expression. Nor did he notice that Sirius was looking at both him and Severus with a scowl that had even made Peter cringe. He seemed completely oblivious to everything but the black eyed stare from the boy that was standing half a metre from him. 'I don't know what to answer him with, Severus,' Remus said hesitantly.  
  
Severus stepped in until he was directly in front of Remus. 'Lies or truths, Remus, which is your option now?' he said softly.  
  
'What the hell is going on here already? What are you two talking about?' Sirius asked angrily, his gaze shifting from Remus to Severus. 'Remus?'  
  
Remus broke his gaze from Severus and looked at his friend of near seven years and he sighed. 'Sirius, you know that I love you like a brother. You and James and Peter were my first friends here, the first people not to shun me or try to make me feel worthless once you found out what I am, but you can't give me what I need now.'  
  
'I don't understand, what is it we can't give you, Remus? What do you want us to do? You know we'd do anything for you. What is it that _he _could give you that _we _can't?' Sirius asked puzzled by all this.  
  
Remus lowered his gaze a moment, then looked back up at Severus, a strange gleam in his eyes. 'Love,' he said in a half whispered voice.   
  
'Love? Are you saying...you're not telling me that you love this greasy git? This...this Slytherin who's our enemy incase you'd forgotten?' Sirius demanded.  
  
Remus didn't break his gaze, and suddenly he smiled. 'No, never _my _enemy, Sirius, and I reckon that _is _what I'm saying to you. I think. Am I...Severus?'   
  
Severus looked at Remus and then he did something that surprised the other three boys, he smiled back at Remus and nodded. 'I dare say that in that instance, you are completely right, Remus,' Severus replied.  
  
'I think I'm going to be ill,' Sirius muttered.  
  
'I think it's wonderful,' Peter said with a happy sigh. 'I wondered if you two would ever tell anyone.'  
  
Remus blinked then looked at Peter in shock. 'You mean...you knew?'  
  
'I've known since err...a while now, yup,' Peter said with a nod, then grinned. 'I caught you sneaking out of the dorm a few times, Remus, so I decided to ahh...well follow you one night,' he said sheepishly.  
  
'How?' Severus asked in astonishment. 'How did we not see you that is?'  
  
'Oh, I have my ways,' Peter said with a grin and winked at Remus.   
  
Remus couldn't help it and laughed. 'Pete, you're unbelievable, you know that?' he said. 'I figured James wouldn't notice being as caught up with Lily as he is- '  
  
'Lily? Lily Evans?' James said cutting in now, still trying to make sense of what he was hearing and seeing.  
  
'Oh honestly, James, everyone knows when to leave you two alone,' Remus said chuckling. 'Ever since you two got engaged we're lucky you still even have time to talk to us as much as she keeps you on a leash.'  
  
'Err...right...I ah...I knew that,' James said, feeling a bit sickened by the thought that suddenly he not only wasn't where he should have been, but had a 'fiancee', who was a women to boot.  
  
'Oi, I think we really need to get you to Madam Pomfrey, James, you're looking quite pale now,' Peter said sympathetically.   
  
'I don't like this, not in the least, Remus,' Sirius said angrily, and glared at the Slytherin boy, completely ignoring James' plight.  
  
Remus turned to look at Sirius, a determined look on his face. 'You know what, Sirius? I really don't care if you do or don't. I've been trying to keep this from you of all people because I know how much you hate Severus, but I'm growing really tired of it. I'm tired of sneaking out of the dorm because of you, tired of pushing Severus aside because you might find out. Well now you know, so now I have no intentions of hiding it any more,' Remus said angrily, then turned to face Severus. 'If that's all right with you?'  
  
Severus came over and put his arms round Remus and said, 'That's all I ever wanted, Remus. No more hiding, no more lying, no more pretenses.'  
  
'You're both daft, you know that? What will people think? They're going to hate you for this,' Sirius argued.  
  
'I don't give a flying fig what people think about it, Sirius,' Remus replied. 'Severus and I have had an understanding every since we were children, since the day I was bitten, and since day he needed something from me, something I was more than willing to do for him in return. I love him, and I don't care who knows it, and from now on everything will be just as it was meant to be. Don't you think so, James?'   
  
James looked at Remus, the boy who up till this moment he really had known nothing about, other than he was a werewolf. He wasn't sure yet what was going on, but oddly strange memories began to filter through to him, and he had a very good feeling that something incredible had happened when Draco had touched that book.   
  
James hadn't been thrown into a new 'world', but rather he had been taken back to a point in time in which history had altered itself, in his own world. A time in which there was no 'Harrison Seth Potter' or 'Draco Malfoy', or at least wasn't yet, or maybe never would be. He didn't know how it had happened, but he had a slight suspicion that somehow the book changed his world to somehow match the world Harry and Draco had come from. Making his world similar if not perhaps the same as the world they had come from. Whatever the case was James didn't care really, all he knew was that this world didn't have the darkness, and anything else he would gladly accept in it's place.  
  
Fifteen years of being friendless, of kow-towing to his brother had somehow been erased. No, not even erased, but maybe never had been or would be at all. He'd been brought to a time in which he was young again, when he had friends, even a fiancee apparently (though that thought still make him a bit ill, he had a sudden feeling he would grow to accept it well). Looking at the people in the room, noticing that even they were so very different than what they had been, he could only wonder if perhaps this was really a dream. He would miss Lucius he was sure, but he had a good feeling that there was also going to be plenty of things now to keep his mind occupied, and odd ghosted memories of these 'things' made him feel like he'd suddenly come home after all.  
  
'James? You in there?' Peter asked and poked James in the ribs.  
  
James didn't even complain about getting jabbed in the ribs, instead he asked, 'You know what, Remus?'  
  
'What, James?' Remus asked curiously, his arms now firmly round Severus's waist.  
  
'I reckon you're 100% right. Everything from now on is going to be just perfect.'  
  
'James, you're not seriously approving of this...relationship...of theirs, are you?' Sirius asked in astonishment.  
  
James looked at Sirius and couldn't help but to grin at the other boy. Walking up to him he put his arm round Sirius's shoulder and said, 'I think it's time to find you someone to love as well, Sirius Black.'  
  
'Oh great, now I know you've gone daft, James Potter,' Sirius said glancing round nervously. Only two people in the room however noticed a flickered gaze suddenly falling on Peter for a moment before Sirius looked away quickly. 'Me...in love...with someone...utter rubbish...' he muttered.  
  
'Yeah, James, I think you're right. Time we set him up with a nice girl, don't you think?' Remus said with a grin himself.  
  
Peter however said nothing, only stared at Sirius a moment, then looked away, edging towards the door. 'We're going to be late you realize,' he said suddenly, as if anxious to get out of this conversation quickly.  
  
'So what, I'll take the points,' Remus said with a shrug. 'What do you think, Severus? Perhaps a Slytherin girl for him?' he joked.  
  
Severus chuckled. 'Why not? I believe that Fiona Parkinson is available- '  
  
'Hell no!' Sirius said backing away in horror. 'All right, I give! I won't say another word about your relationship, Remus. Just...er...don't ahh...I think we should go now, come on, Pete, let's hurry,' he said and not even bothering to look over his shoulder headed out of the classroom, Peter trailing after him.  
  
Remus laughed and shook his head. 'He hasn't a clue we've known that he's been bedding Peter for months now. Poor, Sirius, besotted and too afraid to do anything about it.'  
  
Severus chuckled. 'He'll figure things out soon enough that you can't run forever. Love is a very finicky thing eh?' he said.  
  
'Sure is,' Remus said with a contented sigh and leaned into his lover's arms. 'I'm just glad it chose you when it's arrows struck.'  
  
James rolled his eyes and headed himself over to the door of the library. 'On that note I take my leave, gentleman. Sappiness isn't my cuppa, thanks,' he grinned. With saying that he headed out, thoughts of a particular red head now firmly planted in his mind.  
  
Remus watched his friend go, a strange expression on his face. Turning back to Severus he said, 'Something's different with him, did you notice?'   
  
Severus nuzzled his lovers neck, distracted by that for a moment. 'Hmm?'   
  
'Sev, didn't you notice that when he woke up, something wasn't right with him? I don't mean just hitting his head either,' Remus said with a slight frown.  
  
'His blood smells the same, Gryffindorish as usual. Your's is just lovely however,' Severus said huskily, and then sighed happily as he gently sank a pair gleaming fangs into Remus's neck.   
  
'Severus!' Remus said in exasperation, though he didn't move away from his lover's embrace until Severus had taken his fill. With a contented sigh as Severus finished up and was gently licking away the last drops of blood he said quietly, 'Didn't you notice anything about him though?'  
  
Severus sighed and looked back up at Remus for a moment pensively. 'Yes, there was something a bit different in his aura. What it was though I couldn't exactly tell, but it wasn't his usual colour. What was it that made him black out anyway, I didn't see it. I only arrived when he woke up.'  
  
'It was a book, a rather thick one at that,' Remus said, and stepping away from Severus's embrace reached down and picked up the book in question.   
  
'Where'd it come from?' Severus asked.  
  
Remus shrugged. 'No clue. I was over there- ' he said pointing at a spot a metre away, 'when James gave out a yelp. The next thing I saw...well...don't laugh at this but...if you ask me the book came out of nowhere.'  
  
'Remus, books don't just appear from thin air like that,' Severus said skeptically.  
  
'I know that, Severus,' Remus said crankily, 'but I swear it to you, that's what happened. I saw what looked like a flash of light, then this flew out from nowhere and smacked James in the head. Next thing I know he was out cold, and you saw the rest.'  
  
'Well if you say that's what happened, then I believe you, Remus. Put it back on a shelf somewhere's and leave it be, we really should get to class,' Severus said, then walked over to the door of the library.  
  
Remus didn't even bother to look at the title of the book and slipped it onto a shelf, promptly putting it out of his mind as he walked to the door to join his lover. 'You do know that once we step out this door, life's going to get a bit more difficult for us I reckon,' he sighed.  
  
Severus looked at Remus then reached up and took his lover's face in his hand. 'Life is difficult on it's own merits, Remus, but together I think we'll overcome anything thrown our way. I love you, that's all I care about. Since the day you became my blood servant and promised yourself to me I have loved you,' he said softly.  
  
Remus sighed happily and smiled at Severus. 'I love you too, Severus. I don't ever want to lose you. I worry all the time that Malfoy and his goons will try to take you from me.'  
  
'Never,' Severus said firmly. 'I promise you here and now that I will never go to them, not now, not ever. When we leave Hogwarts in June...we're going away.'  
  
'Away? Where?' Remus asked puzzled.  
  
'As far from here as possible. I was thinking about...America,' Severus said hesitantly.  
  
'America?' Remus asked in astonishment. 'Why? What's there?'  
  
'It's not so much what is there, but what _isn't _there, Remus. No Malfoy, no Voldemort, no chance to be corrupted. We'll find a nice small town where there are few wizards, if any, to worry about spotting us. Well find some work, and we'll be happy, I hope we will be anyway,' Severus said.  
  
Remus smiled and nodded, then threw his arms round Severus's neck pulling him down for a kiss. When they parted Remus whispered, 'I don't care where we go, Severus Snape, as long as we're together. Let them say whatever they want, come June you're mine and I'm never going to let you go.'  
  
Severus grinned and brushed Remus's lips with his own, then hugged him tightly. 'Somehow I have the feeling this is the start of a perfect life for all of us, Remus Lupin,' he said quietly, then taking Remus by the hand the two of them left the library, closing the door firmly behind them.  
  
In a shelf in the library a book suddenly began to glow. Rising off the shelf it had been placed on, it floated over to a gate that opened on it's own, then made it's way over to a shelf in the very back. The gate closed itself, and the book settled down on a creaky, dusty shelf, awaiting the next time it would be looked for. Somehow though it knew that it wouldn't be seeing the boy with the mussy black hair again, but that he would live a long and happy life with his friends and future family. The book also knew that this world was fixed now, and that everything was where it should have been all along.  
  


**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_**

_January 25, 2003__ 1:51AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Malfoy _


	13. When You Wish Upon A Star

**_  
~~Mirrorverse~~  
  
_**

  
  
**Disclaimer**: JKR (Goddess that she is) owns all canon events, etc. I own anything else.  
  
  
:hugs: to all my reviewers and readers!  
  
Now you really didn't think that was the last chap did you? :grins: Nope, I wouldn't leave it just there! I know you want to know what happened to the others right? :chuckles: So here you go! This however IS the last chapter, for now anyway. I am currently going to go back to work on a few things including my Final Fantasy 7 fic (which I'm debating now if I should or shouldn't make a Crossover :sigh: If anyone round here enjoys RPGs can you email me at piri_lupin_snape@yahoo.co.uk and I can drop a few plot bunnies your way? Cheers!) I've started the FF7 one 3x now, 2x as a non c/o, once as a c/o and I'm not sure which way to go...or if I will write about FF Tactics instead after all. (I have a bunny with Ramza/Delita going for a while now but I do so adore Cloud/Zack or Cloud/Seph :sigh:) Anyway enjoy this last chap of Mirrorverse, and I believe I'm going to go back to Decade and When I'm Sixty-Four after this...we'll see! :)  
  


**_~~Chapter Thirteen: When You Wish Upon A Star~~_**

  
'Draco? Time to get up!' a voice called out.  
  
Draco grumbled and yawned, then stretched and opened his eyes, only to be forcibly met by bright daylight. 'For the love of the Gods, Harry, did you have to do that?' he muttered as he blinked back the sun.  
  
Harry chuckled and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to Draco. 'Sorry, luv, but you do have to get up. Everyone will be here soon, I already got a Floo message they're at Diagon Alley.'  
  
'They're at the Alley already?' Draco said quickly, then jumped out of bed in a rush. 'Where's my shirt? Have you seen my trousers? Where's my- '  
  
'Dray!' Harry said laughing. 'Calm down! They're at the Alley yes, but they have some last minute things to take care of. They said it'll be at least an hour before they get here.'  
  
Draco looked at Harry and scowled, then went back over and sat on the bed with a groan. 'Remind me not to jump out of bed like that eh?'  
  
'Getting old are we, luv?' Harry said trying to hold back a smirk.  
  
Draco shot Harry a glare then huffed. 'Very funny, Harry,' he muttered. 'I'm not old enough yet where I can't best you.'  
  
'Oh? Depends on in what you're trying to best me at. Now if it's Quidditch- ' Harry began but was cut off.  
  
'Oh that's right, how silly of me. Who could possible best Mr. I'm-the-all-perfect-Quidditch-star?' Draco said rolling his eyes. 'Honestly, Harry, if I'm old what are you? Ancient?' he teased.  
  
Harry chuckled then got off the bed. 'Funny, Dray. I think you should go hop in the shower though, we've got the time.'  
  
Draco watched as Harry began to putter round the bedroom, a small sigh escaping him. Sometimes he had trouble believing all that was round him was real, and not some dream that his mind had cooked up just to torture him. So much had happened that he felt years older, and in actually he was, though only he knew it. He and the three others had really lived fifteen years longer than anyone suspected they had, but when questioned back then as to what happened Draco had effectively lied through his teeth, for good reasons.   
  
What had happened all those years ago was still fresh in his mind though even now, and he often woke up wondering which was the dream and which was the reality. Looking at the Harry before him though he could only pray that if he was dreaming, that he would never wake up again.  
  
'Harry?' Draco said hesitantly.  
  
Harry turned from the wardrobe where he was picking out his clothes and looked at his husband curiously. 'Yeah, Dray?'  
  
'Are...are you...happy...with me?' Draco asked quietly, his eyes gazing down to his hands in his lap that he'd subconsciously been grasping.  
  
'Now what brought this on, Draco?' Harry asked, putting aside what he was doing to walk over and sit down on the bed next to Draco again.   
  
'Answer me...please, Harry. Are you happy with me? Do you...do you regret giving up being a Quidditch star or anything else...because of me?' Draco asked.  
  
Harry couldn't help it and wrapped his arms round his lover, pulling him into his broad chest tightly. 'I don't know what brought this on today, Draco, but I will spend the rest of my life telling you how much I love you, and that I have no regrets what so ever about giving it all up as you put it,' he said softly and placed a gentle kiss on Draco's temple. 'Now what's this about?'  
  
Draco sighed contentedly and leaned into Harry's body almost with an urgency. 'It's nothing. I'm just so happy with you that...sometimes I think this isn't real. That you're not real, that this house...this room...that everything is nothing more than a dream.'  
  
'You're having those nightmares again, aren't you,' Harry said with soft accusation. 'I thought I told you to talk to Severus about getting more draughts.'  
  
Draco muttered and leaned his cheek against Harry's bare chest. 'I don't want sleeping draughts, Harry,' he said in a pained voice.  
  
'Then what _do _you want, Draco?' Harry asked curiously.  
  
Draco looked up then into his lover's swirling green eyes, his mind reeling with ghosted memories. 'You...' he whispered. 'Just you. Show me you love me still, Harry...please...I need to know you do...'   
  
Harry didn't need to be asked twice. Responding to Draco's urgent tone of voice he brought Draco to him roughly, his green eyes shining with desire. 'I do love you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, more than you can ever possibly know,' he said in a husky voice, then he leaned in and captured his husband's lips in a kiss that told Draco exactly how much he did love him, and how much he needed him in his life.

********

  
'Hello? Oi, anyone here?' a boy's voice called out from the doorway. 'That's funny, where are they? I know we Flooed them from the Alley to tell them we were on our way.'  
  
'I'll go look for 'em!' a girl said and bounded up the stairs. About five minutes later however she came back down the stairs, a dazed look in her eyes.  
  
'Rya? You find 'em?' the boy asked curiously.  
  
Ryanna nodded. 'I found 'em,' she said in a clipped voice, then walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of pumpkin juice.  
  
'Well? Where are they? What are they doing that's taking so long?' the boy demanded whilst pouring himself a glass of juice of well.  
  
'Let's just say you don't want know, David,' the girl, Ryanna, said in a strange voice.  
  
David looked at his twin sister and then it hit him what was going on. 'You walked in on them or something?' he asked whilst trying to hold back a grin.  
  
Ryanna growled at her brother. 'Let's drop it, all right?'  
  
'Ha! You did!' David said laughing now.  
  
'She did what?' a voice said from the doorway. 'David, go help your Uncle with the bags. Rya? What is it?'  
  
'She went to look for- ' David began but his sister cut him off.  
  
'David James Potter, just shut up!' Ryanna said huffily.   
  
'David, bags. Now,' the man said eyeing the boy warily.  
  
'Oh all right,' the boy muttered. Downing his juice in one gulp he then stuck his tongue out as his sister and headed back to the salon.   
  
'Now what's wrong, Ryanna?' the man said quietly.  
  
'It's nothing really, Uncle Remus,' she said with a weak smile.  
  
'You're here!' a voice cried out now ending the conversation, and moments later the young girl was swept up into a huge hug.   
  
'Daddy don't do that!' Ryanna said paling slightly and struggling out of the man's grasp.   
  
Harry put his daughter down and looked at her oddly, wondering what was going on. 'Rya? What's wrong?' he asked in concern.  
  
'N-nothing. I think I'll go help David with the bags,' Ryanna said and before anyone could say anything she fled out of the kitchen, a blush on her face.  
  
'Hmm, what was that all about?' Harry asked staring at the swinging door of the kitchen. Turning to Remus he said, 'You know anything?'  
  
Remus shrugged then came over and gave Harry a quick hug. 'Not a clue. Though I think I have a suspicion,' he said with a grin now as he eyed something on Harry's neck.  
  
'Huh? What is it?' Harry asked puzzled.  
  
Remus laughed and tapped Harry's neck. 'Next time we tell you we're on our way, Harry, try to finish up in time eh?'   
  
Harry paled then blushed as understanding finally dawned on him. 'Oh...er...we ahh...were just umm...finishing...when umm...' he stammered.  
  
Remus chuckled and shook his head. 'You two forgot what silencing spells were eh?'   
  
'Remus!' Harry muttered, his blush at an all time high. 'I reckon she must have heard us,' he groaned.   
  
'Ah give her a bit, Harry, I'm sure she'll get over it. Anyways, where is Draco?' Remus asked.  
  
'In the shower. He got a late start,' Harry said, then a frown came across his face. 'Which reminds me I want to talk to Severus later.'  
  
'Oh? On what?' a new voice asked now causing Harry to turn towards the kitchen door.  
  
'Severus!' Harry said with a smile. 'Survived the Alley I see.'.  
  
Severus muttered and threw Harry a glare. 'No thanks to your children and their boundless energy,' Severus said with a sniff, then broke into a grin. 'They do know how to keep one young though, give them that.'  
  
Harry chuckled and nodded. 'Tell me about it. Just when I think I am getting old they remind me just how young I can be,' he said.  
  
'They're good kids, though I don't know where they get it from,' Severus said airily. 'Certainly not their fathers.'  
  
'Bah, you're just lucky I'm in a good mood this afternoon, Severus Snape, or I'd show you just how 'good' I can be,' Harry teased. 'On that note, I really do want to talk to you.'  
  
'So you said, about what?' Severus asked as he sat down at the kitchen table.  
  
'Draco,' Harry said, a small frown on his face now. 'He's...I'm worried about him lately.'  
  
'The dreams have come back?' Remus said sharply as he sat down at the table next to Severus.  
  
Harry sighed and sat down himself now. 'He won't say of course, but I'm sure they have. If today was any indication of it, they're even worse than before,' he frowned.  
  
'Oh? So that's why you weren't at door to greet us, I'd wondered,' Severus said with a slight knowing nod.  
  
'Worse, Rya overheard us,' Harry grumbled. 'We lost track of time I reckon, didn't realize we'd timed it so close.'  
  
'Just give her a couple hours to readjust, she'll get over it. She's a big girl now,' Remus said with a grin.  
  
'What prompted the event in the first place though, Harry?' Severus asked curiously.  
  
'Draco did, that's the problem,' Harry said quietly and glanced at the kitchen door. 'I don't know but he's becoming...just...not himself lately, worse than even his usual panicky self. He wakes up in the middle of the night, gets out of bed and just sits there either writing in his journal or staring out the window into the sky. Even this morning, our lovemaking felt like it was more of a lifeline to him than out of need. Like he thinks I'm going to suddenly disappear on him,' Harry said puzzled.  
  
'What else?' Remus asked.  
  
Harry shrugged and his body slumped forwards as a sigh escaped him. 'He asked me this morning, and it's not the first time either mind you...if I regret giving up becoming a famous Quidditch seeker to live a quiet life here in at the house with just him and the kids. He really thinks I do, I know he does. He thinks he's not good enough for me or something. I feel like I'm losing him, Remus. Something's wrong and he won't tell me, but I'm convinced it has to do with what happened back then,' he said in a low whisper.  
  
Remus and Severus both nodded at that in understanding. 'I'll brew up some more sleeping draughts for him.'  
  
Harry shook his head dejectedly. 'He won't take it, Severus. He says he is taking them for the most part, but last week I caught him pouring a phial of it down the sink, then later on he told me he took it. He's never lied to me like this before, I'm really getting worried. If it does have something to do with back then...what can I do?' he pleaded.  
  
'There isn't much you can do, Harry, just be there for him. Keep reminding him how much you do need him and love him. How much he means to the kids, and to all of us,' Remus said.  
  
'I wish Sirius was still here,' Harry said dully. 'He always knew what to do in situations like this. I miss him so much.'  
  
'We miss him too, Harry. That reminds me, will Peter be here today?' Remus asked.  
  
Harry shook his head. 'No, he said he was going to spend some time alone this holiday. It's too soon I think for him.'  
  
'It's been a year, I'd think that's long enough,' Severus said warily. 'He needs to get himself together.'  
  
'Some people can't just 'get themselves together', Sev,' Remus said in rebuke. 'Just because you're a blasted rock with your emotions doesn't mean everyone else is. Sirius's death is something that Peter may never get over.'  
  
'I still think he should at least make the attempt to be with family for the holidays,' Severus muttered. 'It does him no good to sit there all alone and brood in that big house of his.'  
  
'I agree with Severus,' Harry said with a nod. 'If I could, I'd just Floo over there and make him come here, but I know he'd only resent it. We'll give him till Easter, if he doesn't make an attempt by then, we'll make him do something.'  
  
'Forget about Peter right now, Harry, he'll come round eventually. What are you to do about Draco is what I want to know,' Severus said.  
  
Harry sighed and shook his head. 'I don't know, Severus, but I'll have to do something. If Christmas with the family can't break him of these doles, not much else can. I just wish he'd talk to me dammit, I hate being shut out like this,' he muttered.  
  
'You really want to know what it is, Harry?' a hesitant voice asked, causing those at the table to look up in surprise.  
  
'Draco, we didn't hear you come in,' Remus said with a smile. 'Good to see you, you're looking well.'  
  
'Cheers for the attempt, Remus, but I know I look like shite. If not I certainly feel like it,' Draco said quietly as he sat down at the table next to his husband. 'I saw the kids, they're out back starting on a snow fort. What's with Rya though? She looked at me as if I had two heads or something.'  
  
Harry chuckled. 'Appropriate wording, luv. It seems we didn't ahh...finish in time after all,' he said with a slight grimace.  
  
Draco looked at Harry oddly a moment, then groaned and nodded in understanding. 'Just goes to show we're a bit rusty on using silencing spells like when they were little eh?' he said with a weak chuckle.   
  
'I reckon we'll need to be much more careful in the future on that issue,' Harry said with a grin, then his grin faded as he looked at his husband in worry. 'What's going on with you, Dray? Please...won't you talk to us?'  
  
Draco paled a moment as if he was about to be ill, then sighed deeply, looking from Harry to Remus then to Severus. 'What makes you all think there's anything wrong with me?' he said.  
  
'Because you git, we're not blind nor daft. Now fess up, Draco. What is going on with you as of late? The last few weeks you've been growing more and more distant, and when you're not being distant all you want to do is make love. Not that I mind that err...part of things,' Harry said blushing slightly, 'but I want to know why when we do you're acting as if it's the last time you'll ever see me again.'  
  
Draco started at those words a moment, wondering how to refute them when he looked into the pleading eyes of his husband. 'Oh, Harry,' he semi-whispered. 'I'm so sorry. I wish I could tell you what's wrong, why I feel this way...but I don't think...you probably wouldn't believe me,' he said sadly.  
  
'Try us, Draco. We're your friends aren't we?' Severus asked with a soft smile.  
  
'That's the point, Severus, you never were supposed to be our friends. In fact...you're both supposed to be twenty some years older than Harry and me. Remus was our DADA professor and you were our Potion's professor at Hogwarts,' Draco said wearily.  
  
Severus, Remus and Harry stared at Draco as if he'd just dropped a bomb in the kitchen. 'Draco...what are you saying? Severus and Remus have always been our friends, we went to school with them remember? Even though Remus and Severus were Slytherin's we still managed to all stay friends. And Sev and Remus at Hogwarts...as professors? Where did you get that? Is this the nightmares you've been having?' Harry asked puzzled.  
  
'No, Harry, it's not the nightmares, it's the truth. They way things really were....should have been anyway, isn't what it is now,' Draco said.  
  
'Draco, is this what's been bothering you? Are the nightmares beginning to make your memories skewed even when you're awake now?' Severus asked in concern.  
  
'No, Severus, that's _not _it,' Draco muttered. 'Listen to me...not one of you remembers those fifteen days where we were supposedly captured all those years ago, do you.'  
  
'We were made to forget those fifteen days, Draco, you know that. I don't know who to thank for that, even if it was Voldemort himself that did the Obliverate Charms on us, but I for one am grateful to whoever it was,' Remus said with a shiver. 'Being found in the Forbidden Forest in comas with blood all over us wasn't how I would have wanted to remember things, I'm sure of that.'  
  
'You three don't remember those fifteen days, but _I _do, Remus, because it wasn't fifteen days but fifteen years, very long years at that,' Draco said huffily, then got up to pace the kitchen. 'I lied to all of you, even Albus. I knew the truth, but when I realised that not one of you three remembered what really happened, I couldn't tell anyone anything. No one wouldn't have believed me anyway, seeing as how much things had changed on our return as well.'  
  
'What do you mean by changed? What changed?' Harry asked.  
  
'You,' Draco said softly as he looked at his husband. 'All three of you. When we woke up back at Hogwarts after Hagrid found us in the Forest, and I saw that Remus and Severus were still kids again, that you and I were teens again as well, I knew something was very wrong. When I learned that none of you remembered what had happened, or where we'd been, and Albus and everyone else didn't seem at all phased by Remus and Severus being young, I had to lie and pretend to go along with everything. But the truth is that went we left, Severus's and Remus weren't kids.'  
  
'Left? Left to go where, Dray? We were captured, that's what Albus told us, though I never remembered that myself either, just waking up after we were found. I assume though it's because our memories were erased of what happened, even the part about being kidnapped. Thankfully Voldemort disappeared right after we escaped, I wish I knew what really happened, but I'm glad he's gone for good,' Harry said.  
  
'That's the only thing I wasn't sure about actually in the whole thing, but I have my theories now what may have happened to him,' Draco said thoughtfully.  
  
'Draco, what is it that changed so drastically? What is it that you lied to us about?' Severus asked. 'Tell us the truth.'  
  
Draco looked at his friend and made up his mind. Sitting back down at the table, grateful that his children would be occupied by the snow fort for quite some time, he began to weave his tale. He told them everything, the way life had been up till they'd found the Book of the Cursed all those years ago, what happened in the Mirrorworld, and what should have happened when they got back. It had surprised Draco that Severus and Remus were still in their younger forms when they got back, he hadn't expected that in his calculations, nor was he prepared for a world that seemed to have changed so drastically. It had taken him a few days, but Draco had managed to piece together what changes had clearly been made.  
  
In this changed world Voldemort had never been defeated the first time by Harry. In fact up till they had returned to this world Voldemort had been very active in the Wizarding World, destroying and killing whenever and whoever he felt like. Draco had found out that Harry's parents hadn't died when he was a year old, although they did battle with Voldemort at Godric's Hollow when Harry was a child. However Harry was never at Godric's Hollow that day, having been sent into hiding with Peter, who in this world had never been a traitor but happily married to Sirius. Harry had grown up with his Godfather and Peter as his guardians, whilst James and Lily worked tirelessly to find ways to destroy Voldemort.   
  
As for Remus and Severus, they were never at Hogwarts in the days of Lily, James, Sirius and Peter. In this changed world they were Harry and Draco's age, and Harry and Draco had met the two of them (and Remus and Severus in this world apparently had grown up together) on the Hogwarts Express as first-years, and the four became good friends. Though Remus and Severus were sorted into Slytherin and Harry and Draco to Gryffindor, they remained firm friends.  
  
In this world there had been 'Marauders', but without the 'Moony' part, since 'Moony' never existed in those days, and the 'Marauder's Map' never existed in this world until later on when Harry, Draco, Remus and Severus came up with the idea. In the changed world it had been Severus who had told Harry and Draco in secret what Remus was when Harry began suspecting things about him and his 'disappearances' once a month. As a surprise Harry, Draco and Severus in secret began working on the Animagus Potion. With Severus's skill in potion making it only took them a year to do the complex spell and potion, and by the beginning of third-year they were secretly joining Remus on his monthly excursions.  
  
Harry's parents had survived in this world, in fact they didn't pass on until only a few years back, and it wasn't by Voldemort either. They were sadly the victims of a simple boating accident somewhere's in Italy whilst they were taking a holiday to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Their yacht collided during the night with a ship that had come out of nowhere, and they were blown up when the yacht's petrol tank was hit.   
  
As for Voldemort, Draco's suspicion was that when he used the book to open a rift between the worlds, somehow they got returned but Voldemort got sucked into another world. Which is why he seemed to just vanish off the face of the earth when the four of them had apparently returned from being 'kidnapped'. No one ever heard from Voldemort again, and the celebrations had lasted back then for weeks on end.  
  
When Draco had woken up in the infirmary at Hogwarts all those years ago just after Voldemort's disappearance, he was told that they had been gone just over a fortnight, apparently kidnapped by Death Eaters during a Hogsmeade weekend. From what Draco gathered they were held as hostages and tortured because Voldemort was trying to get Remus, Harry and Severus's parents to join him and they had refused him.   
  
In this world Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater yet not one either. The only reason Draco had been captured back then with the others was because he was openly Harry's boyfriend, something Voldemort didn't approve of. As for Lucius, it turned out that he was a spy for the Order of the Light, doing the same job that Severus had been doing before they'd left. Draco was told in secret by his father that it was himself that saved their lives after the kidnapping, getting them out of Riddle Manor before Voldemort could kill them.   
  
Draco had also found out that it was on Lucius's advice all those years ago that made James and Lily send young Harry to Peter for safe-keeping for a while whilst James, Lily went into hiding for a time, leaving Sirius to track down the traitor. Turns out a close school mate of theirs named Mark Bode had turned to Voldemort and was spying on them. It was he who had told his new master where Lily and James were hiding, though luckily Lucius had found out in time and they were able to prepare themselves.   
  
A small battle ensued at Godric's Hollow night of October 31st, but Lily and James managed to escape before anything terrible happened. Mark Bode was pronounced guilty and sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss for his betrayal. James and Lily ended up leaving the country for a bit, Harry with them, and when they returned it was in secret. Only a few people, that being Sirius, Peter and Albus, knew where they were and what names they were using, which is how they'd stayed alive and worked undercover until Voldemort's disappearance.  
  
Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were still alive and living abroad, Remus's parents were still happily settled in a small cottage in Wales, the same cottage Remus had grown up in. Severus's parents also were in Wales, the Snape's and Lupin's in this world were neighbours, hence why Remus and Severus were already best friends when Harry and Draco had met them on the train.   
  
Even though they did find out about Remus being a werewolf quickly, they hadn't a clue about Severus being a vampire until seventh-year when Severus finally admitted it to them what he was. Harry and Draco, after they were returned from their fifteen day disappearance, caught Severus feeding off of Remus one night in the infirmary. Draco of course already knew about Severus being a vampire and Remus being his blood servant, but acted surprised since he had figured out by then he wasn't supposed to have known the truth.  
  
After leaving Hogwarts Remus and Severus, who hadn't much money with their families being somewhat poor, decided to move to Egypt where they still lived today. They had managed to acquire themselves jobs with the Egyptian Ministry of Magic. Remus was involved finding and restoring magical artefacts from the ancient days, and Severus was on staff as a Potion's consultant. Severus had been awarded his Potion Master title by the Egyptian Ministry for his excellent skills which at least brought in a bit more income. They had a small two bedroom flat in Cairo where they were very happy.   
  
They also had a daughter named Misha a few years after moving to Egypt, she was already in her late teens and was now going to a Muggle University in Cairo. Harry and Draco had waited a bit longer though to have their children, the twins had just turned eleven this year and had just started Hogwarts. Both were Gryffindors like their parents, but they were as far apart as twins could get. David was usually shy and reserved whilst Ryanna was outgoing, outspoken and aggressive at times.  
  
As for Harry and Draco, they had settled into Godric's Hollow after spending a few years travelling, which is where they still were today. Draco still couldn't believe it was all real, and every now and then he had to question how he was the only one who remembered that none of this should have been real. Over time he did get some of the memories of this new, changed world, but they didn't over shadow the old ones from both worlds.   
  
In his dreams, or nightmares rather, he still was in the Mirrorworld, and sometimes he was back in the world that had been before they'd left for the Mirrorworld, when they had so much to fear and lose. It still amazed him that in this changed world everyone had known about Harry and Draco's relationship together, and had never had a problem with it. In fact Lucius had been the most supportive about their relationship, and Lily and James had been thrilled that their son had made such a good match.  
  
As Draco's mind thought on all of that whilst telling the other three the truth, he could see the surprise, horror and shock in their eyes and on their faces. He regretted now telling them about the Mirrorworld and what had been before that, what he had known as truth. He told them why he had the nightmares, and why he thought that he'd wake up one day to find Harry was the same evil Harry from before. He saw the look of pain on his lover's face at that, but Harry let him continue his speech without a word or a touch. Harry seemed to know somehow that Draco would lose it if he did, and Draco was grateful for the lack of contact during the storytelling.  
  
'And that's it. That's what happened. At least...that's what I remember happening,' Draco said finishing up his tale now and looking at everyone hesitantly.  
  
'I...I don't know...what to say...what to think,' Harry said quietly, pain, confusement and other things thick in his voice.  
  
Draco smiled softly at his lover, then reached over and took Harry's hand into his own, squeezing it gently. 'There's nothing to think any longer, Harry,' he said quietly. 'I don't know why fifteen years only ended up as fifteen days, I don't know why the book returned us all as kids again. Or why it changed so much here when we did return...but I am glad it did.'  
  
'Yet...you still feel Harry's going to leave you, Draco. That all of this isn't real,' Severus said thinking on things logically as usual.  
  
Draco nodded at Severus. 'Yeah, I do. I know it's twenty years now since we got back here, but sometimes I think...' he trailed off at that, unable to say more.  
  
'We're not going to leave you, Draco,' Remus said softly. 'Not now, not ever. Whatever reasons the book did what it did, for twenty years now we've been friends, we're all together, and we're all happy. If anything was going to change that, wouldn't it have by now?'  
  
'That's just it, Remus, I don't know,' Draco said in a pain-filled voice. 'It took fifteen years the last time before things changed, before I could find the book and send us to what I thought was 'home'. What if this really is nothing more than a dream? What if tomorrow I wake up and we're all back where we were? What if the book sends us somewhere else this time and it turns out even worse?'  
  
'Draco...oh, Draco,' Harry said comfortingly and pulled his husband into his arms, holding him tightly. 'I swear to you that nothing is going to happen. I'm here...this _is _the reality, that I can promise you.'  
  
'Can you? Can you really and truly promise me that, Harry?' Draco pleaded. 'You can't really, can you. You can't be 100% sure of that.'  
  
'Draco, listen to me. You're right, I can't be sure that tomorrow will come and I won't be this horribly evil person, no one can be sure. That's life, that's the joys and the pains of life, that's the unexpected part of having the next sunrise. Somehow though I have a feeling that this book isn't going to end things now, that it isn't going to send us away again, that we're safe now,' Harry said softly.  
  
'But you still can't promise me that, Harry,' Draco said with a sob as he clung to Harry's body.   
  
'He can't, but perhaps I can,' a new voice said now, one that made all four in the room turn round in surprise.  
  
'Albus!' Severus said scowling at the older man. 'Don't sneak up on people like that,' he muttered accusingly.  
  
Albus walked further into the room and chuckled. 'I do apologize, but I was enthraled by the tale you were telling, Draco. I suspected something was different back then, now I know why that was.'  
  
'What do you mean you suspected something?' Draco demanded.  
  
'You're eyes, Draco, told me far more than you think they did,' Albus said quietly. 'I knew you were lying to me, as well as the holder of some very terrible secrets. I hoped when the time was right you would tell me what it was that had you so scared, but you never did confide in me. However, I've managed to piece together a few things over the years that helped my quest of the truth.'  
  
'What?' Draco asked in astonishment. 'Why did you even want to know?'  
  
'I'm a curious man, young Draco, and in my old age and retirement I've little else to do at times but to figure out things from the past that always bothered me,' Albus said with a twinkling blue-eyed grin.  
  
'You're incorrigible, Albus Dumbledore, you know that?' Remus said shaking his head.  
  
'I'm bored, there's a difference,' Albus said with a wave of his hand. 'Now, I believe you were discussing a book when I arrived, yes?'  
  
'The Book of the Cursed,' Draco said nodding his head. 'Why?'  
  
'Ah yes, a very intriguing book, though I wasn't aware of how conniving it could be sometimes. It always seems to do things it's own way though,' Albus said sitting down at the kitchen table himself now.  
  
'What do you mean by 'it's own way'?' Severus questioned.  
  
'Are you saying that the book is sentient, Albus?' Remus asked in surprise.  
  
'I am,' Albus said with a nod of his head. 'It's very much so actually.'  
  
'Books aren't sentient, Albus, that's impossible,' Harry argued.  
  
'This one is, Harry,' Albus said firmly. 'Perhaps it cannot talk for itself, but through it's pages it has quite a bit to say. It's been known to alter the course of many things, though this is the first I've heard of it altering different worlds. Something I shall have to look into.'  
  
'Why would it do something like this though? For what purpose?' Draco asked puzzled.   
  
'Do you know why the book was created, Draco?' Albus asked now.  
  
Draco shook his head. 'No, I'd heard of it, and was told if I ever came across it never to touch it, but that was all.'  
  
'Let me then tell you a bit more about it then. The book was created so long ago no one even remembers, but it's message was passed down within it's pages. For a normal person to read the book it means little, they cannot decipher it. Half-breed cursed bloods can touch it and read it, it's only when they read from it outloud that things happen. Pure cursed bloods however cannot even touch the book, someone must do it for them, otherwise the effects are instantaneous,' Albus said.  
  
'I'm confused, what effects? And what's the difference between being a half-breed and a pure-breed cursed blood?' Harry asked.  
  
'A half-breed is someone who was not born with the cursed blood within them, they were in effect 'created' later on, like Remus and Severus were as children. Pure cursed bloods of course are like Draco, born directly from within the blood-line. When a cursed blood touches or reads from the book, the book will absorb that person's memories, and then sends them to a place where it thinks they belong. The book doesn't care if the rest of the world it sends the person to is messed up, it only cares that the person or persons reading or touching it becomes satisfied,' Albus said. 'However, if someone who isn't a cursed blood were to get trapped by it, the effects would be devastating. It would reverse any happiness and cause only hate and sorrow for the person; destroying who they are in the process.'  
  
'Oh, I think I'm beginning to understand. It's sort of like a living Mirror of Erised?' Harry asked.  
  
Albus nodded. 'The Mirror allows you see your happiness, your heart's desire. The book actually gives it to you, only it's for cursed bloods only. The book was designed for curse bloods knowing that they would never truly be able to find happiness being what they were, so the book was made to give it to them. However it became so abused and misused that the book was banned from society, and hidden away.'  
  
'Obviously not that well hidden,' Severus said dryly. 'If we supposedly found it.'  
  
Albus chuckled. 'True, but that may have been because someone was using it's counterpart on the other end, in this Mirrorworld, unknowing of it's true properties. I can't say for sure, but when the book sent you to the other world, I'm sure it had no idea that things would turn out as they did. I assume it was because of Harry though that things progressed in such a horrible manner, sorry to say that but that is what I would surmise.'  
  
Harry sighed and held onto Draco as tightly as he could. 'I'm so sorry, Dray...I wish...'  
  
'Harry...Harry it's not your fault. You didn't know back then what the book was, and I was too afraid to tell you what I was. Before I could even tell you about the book it was too late and you'd tripped into me,' Draco said with a sigh. 'It no longer matters though, what happened is over and done with.'  
  
'But you still feel as if it could happen again, Draco,' Remus said quietly.  
  
'I dare say that will not be a problem any longer,' Albus said quietly.  
  
Draco turned to Albus, a questioning look in his eyes. 'What makes you think that though? How can you be sure, Albus?'  
  
'Oh, child, I do wish you had confided all this to me sooner, and I would have been able to spare you years of torment,' Albus said sadly.  
  
'Albus?' Severus asked. 'What do you mean?'  
  
'If I had known the book is what was behind your angsts, Draco, I would have told you years ago about this. That particular book was found by Lucius, in the very cell that you were held hostage in all those years ago. I was surprised to say the least when Lucius came to me with it, wrapped of course as he knew what it was and not to touch it. He told me he had no clue how it got there, or why it was there, he'd found it though when he rescued you from the cell. He brought the book straight away to me, puzzled why you'd had it. The moment the book entered my hands however an owl was at my window telling me that Voldemort was gone, vanished into thin air. But that's not all,' Albus said.  
  
'What...what else?' Draco asked, a strange glint in his grey eyes.  
  
Albus turned to Draco and looked at him oddly for a moment. 'By the time I finished reading the letter I'd been sent, Voldemort wasn't the only thing that had vanished, Draco. The book was gone as well. I'd put it on my desk when I received the letter, got up to open the window and for a few moments forgot about the book. When I returned to my desk it was gone, as was Voldemort.'  
  
'Do you think it's related, them both disappearing I mean?' Harry asked curiously.  
  
'I have no doubts of it, Harry,' Albus said with a nod. 'I think the book is what erased or rather altered your memories, sent Voldemort away, and then decided it was time for it to go somewhere's else, where it might be needed by someone else.'  
  
'I had the same theory, slightly anyway,' Draco nodded. 'I suspected the book drew Voldemort into a different place, though Merlin knows where, but wherever it is at least he was no longer here so I didn't care. I also thought that perhaps the reason I remembered and none of the others was because I was the one who had the clearest memories in the other world.'  
  
'On that it's highly possible, Draco,' Albus said with a nod. 'Wherever the book is now I don't think it will bother with you again however.'  
  
'You don't think Voldemort can come back though do you, Albus? Or figure out the book if he is still alive out there somewheres?' Remus asked.  
  
Albus shook his head. 'I dare say the book wouldn't let itself fall into the hands of such a man, Remus. No, I'm sure that wherever he is, he's there for good. The book is sentient enough not to let it get caught by the likes of Tom Riddle.'  
  
Draco chuckled at that remark. 'It seems no matter what world Riddle's in, he never gets a break. In the Mirrorworld he also looked for that book for years, but it eluded him at every turn. Lucius found it for me in the Mirrorworld like I said, oddly enough. It seems that the book likes we Malfoy's,' he grinned.  
  
'It's not the only one,' Harry said with a chuckle and kissed his husband's cheek. 'Are you satisfied now that this isn't a dream, Dray? That we're here to stay?'  
  
Draco turned to look at Harry a moment. The amount of worry and concern in his husband's eyes couldn't dampen the amount of love in them, and Draco couldn't help but love how Harry still made him feel after all these years. 'Yes, Harry, I am now. I think from now on the nightmares will stop, that it's time to forget the past, and move on with the present. The future is looking much better suddenly, and I don't care what happens next, as long as I have you,' he said softly.  
  
Harry smiled. 'I think that from now on everything's going to be just right,' he said. 'I love you, Draco, always and forever.'  
  
Draco sighed happily. 'I love you too, Harry, I always did, and always will. To the future then?'  
  
'To the future!' everyone in the room agreed.  
  
Somewhere in a small corner of the Hogwarts library, deep inside the restricted section on a dusty shelf, a book glowed for a moment then slowly began to fade away. The book was satisfied that once again things were where they should be, and it was again time to move on to another place, another time, wherever it would next be needed. It wouldn't be coming back to this world, for the changes it had made all those years ago would now be complete. Granted it hadn't expected the silver haired boy to take all these years to find his true happiness, but the book had been patient and it knew now it had been well worth the wait.   
  


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_January 29, 2003__12:01 AM__ ©Piriotessa/Piri Malfoy _


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